


Words to Say 'I Love You'

by EquinoxSolstice



Category: K-pop, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Alternate Universe - Regency, Blackmail, Drama & Romance, F/M, Genderswap, Kidnapping, Manipulation, MostlyMute!Taehyung, Namjoon is a manipulative bastard, Nobility, Regency Romance set in Korea, Romance Novel, Taehyung Jin and Jimin are girls, This is unapologetic romance novel trash, expect normal romance novel tropes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-04-07 10:52:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 32,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14079300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EquinoxSolstice/pseuds/EquinoxSolstice
Summary: Despite her indescribable beauty, an incident left Lady Kim Taehyeon with a life of silence.But her dreams to visit Seoul became reality, and despite her disability, she has captured the attention of the handsome Earl of Busan, Jeon Jungkook.But more was at work underneath the surface, with lies and deceit, and the powerful hand of her brother, Kim Namjoon, the Earl of Ilsan, tugging at Jeon Jungkook's strings.





	1. Chapter One

It had often been said among those who should know that the Earl of Ilsan was not quite human. That he was, in fact, a demon who had managed to escape from damnation and take on a human form. Some argued that his reluctance to show himself in public was proof that he wasn't a native of this world, while others thought that the whispers of vivid scars mapping his body gave testament to the fierce struggle he'd made while grasping and clawing his way out of the eternal pit of fire.

Jeon Jungkook, the Earl of Busan, had never really believed in the rumors, and frankly, thought they were simply stories that always circulated the town and the higher echelons of society.

Until now.

The invitation had received from the Earl an hour earlier—although he used the word _invitation_ out of polite habit, as it was an actual threat—was the least surprising thing he had seen that night. The gloomy interior darkness of the Earl’s immense and elegant manor, located in the midst of Seoul’s most elite and expensive district, had certainly made him pause, the grim seriousness of the situation settling into his bones (but not fear, never fear), as had the sight of a number of horses and carriages belonging to some of Korea’s highest-ranking nobles and lords parked outside that same house. The fact that all of the Earl’s servants appeared to possess the ability to fade rapidly into shadows was brought into question as well.

Min Yoongi, Vicount of Daegu, was present when the summons arrived and had subsequently insisted upon accompanying Jungkook. He was muttering as they followed the Earl’s ominously silent butler down a darkened hall. "Guk, if I'd known we'd be catching ghosts, I would’ve prepared other things, like a priest, or something to ward evil away."

Jungkook didn’t have to shush him afterwards, since the sight of the Earl of Ilsan himself stunned the younger into silence, when he had finally come through the doors of the study as they waited for him.

Unkempt, dirty, and dressed like a poor dockside cargo boy, the man walked into the room. He looked both aggravated and weary, but even exhausted predators were still dangerous. Kim Namjoon looked down at his guests from his taller height, and commented without preamble, "Brought a friend along to hold your hand, did you, Jungkook?"

Jungkook stiffened as he resisted the urge to snap to attention, hands balling into fists at his side. "Well, that’s fine." Namjoon continued casually. "I can't understand why there is a need to, especially since we’re just going to talk, but at least Lord Min is smart enough to know when to keep his silence." He turned to with a raised eyebrow and a cool stare. "If you don’t, I’ll be very disappointed, Lord Min. May I call you by your first name, my lord?"

Yoongi pursed his lips, but answered with a slight incline of his head. "Of course, Lord Kim." It was clear that Yoongi was a little unsettled, but at least he kept his composure, unlike other people. Min Yoongi was one of the most dependable people he knew, and Jungkook was suddenly, terribly glad of his presence. "I’m merely here to provide Lord Jeon with the support he needs. I wouldn’t dare. My lips are sealed."

With a rare chuckle, Namjoon stalked past them, reaching for a decanter of brandy set near the impressive desk that took up one end of the room. "Please, sit down, gentlemen," he said, pouring himself a drink. "I have a few minutes to spare before I return to more important matters."

"No thank you." Jungkook replied shortly, his gaze following Namjoon’s movements as the man settled into a large chair behind the desk. "As it happens, Lord Min and I are expected at the Lord Kihyun’s house shortly. We only stopped here first because you sounded so urgent."

"Urgent," Namjoon repeated, his dark eyes taking in his guests' elegant evening clothes with clear amusement. "Oh, yes, Jungkook, it’s really an urgent matter that brings you here tonight. So let me be frank, and excuse my informal language." His gaze sharpened while the darkness in his eyes deepened.

"You came because I told you to come. Because I've bought every debt you owe, every marker you've pledged, and every deed you've mortgaged, including the one in Busan. Your ancestral home, wasn’t it?" He paused long enough to sip his drink, his eyes holding Jungkook’s over the rim of the glass. "That was stupid of you, if I may add." He continued pleasantly after a moment. "Didn't you realize how vulnerable your family estate became when you used it to secure such a large loan?"

Jungkook’s jaw tightened. "It was unfortunate, but necessary," he replied quietly, trying not to grit his teeth. "I was going to repay everything in the next few weeks. If you hold the documents to the mortgage, then you’ll receive the amount shortly. In full."

"No." Namjoon set his glass on the table. "I won't take payment for the amount, Lord Jeon. I won't accept money for any of your debts. What I want," he said, sitting forward and tenting his fingers beneath his chin, dimples deepening, "is payment of a different kind."

In that split moment, everything became clear. And Jungkook was stunned, though he didn’t show it outwardly. "Are you telling me, my lord, that you bought all of my debts to _order me around_?" To be put under the other man’s control? What did Kim Namjoon want from him? "That’s blackmail, my lord." _And you’re a sick son of a bitch._ "I can have you arrested and thrown in prison for this if it came to light."

Namjoon’s lazy smile widened. "Oh no, Jungkook, not at all. Call it… a personal investment." His smirk held a dangerous edge. "You’re welcome to try to have me arrested, of course. But Jungkook… You don't know enough about me to even begin to understand what I can do to you." He leaned back, voice silky soft.

"I can tell you right now, I won’t lose a moment's sleep on your behalf. If you don't want to find yourself ruined and your family thrown out of your ancestral home, I suggest you sit down and listen to what I’m offering. I’ll even let you curse me to your heart’s content afterwards, if you want."

"Might as well sit, Guk." Yoongi finally said with practical resignation, adding when Jungkook glanced at him, "Unless you want to stand here all night while you argue with Lord Kim."

"Call me Namjoon, please, Yoongi. We’re all civilized men here." When they were all seated, Jungkook wound tightly, Namjoon continued.

"Let me tell you plainly what I want and we can save ourselves the effort of going in circles. My younger sister, Taehyeon, and my niece, Jimin, are coming to Seoul next month to have their debut. I want you, Jungkook, to dance attendance on Taehyeon while she's here and make certain that both she and Jimin are fully accepted in society."

A surprised silence followed.

Namjoon looked from one man to the other. He said, without some amusement, "I’d never thought I'd see the day when a lord could be shocked speechless." He sighed. "It's a trouble to put my own sister into the care of someone like you, but you'll treat her well enough, or suffer the consequences, of course. That's the best I can do, short of buying Taehyeon a husband."

With some effort, Yoongi found his voice. "What you want is ridiculous, Lord Kim."

"You won't think so when you're writing to Lord Jeon to his cell in prison." Namjoon pleasantly assured him.

"But why would you want to do such a thing?" Jungkook finally demanded. "And why _me_? I can't suddenly start escorting someone I've never met before."

"Why not?" Namjoon gave an indifferent shrug. "Like the rest of our kind, you've been taught from the cradle how to manipulate others, Jeon Jungkook. There's very little you can't manage if you put some effort to it. And don't think I don't know, I’ve come from the same sort of people, with all the ancient titles and ancient blood and ancient emotions."

He sat back comfortably in his chair. "The Ilsan Kims go back from the days of the Joseon, so far back you'd think we'd have water in our veins by now. Our family has been stretched so thin. Some of us are insane," he said with a grin. "Some of us are nearly inhuman. I happily abandoned my family when I was fourteen and never would’ve gone back if my oldest brother didn't have the decency to get himself killed without leaving a son to inherit the title and estates, and if Taehyeon hadn't needed me.

"I've loved few souls in my life, Jeon Jungkook," Namjoon said softly, intently, "but Taehyeon is the most precious among them. I've kept her safe from every possible harm these past few years, keeping her in the country, as far from this society’s toxic environment as possible. But now I think I've made the wrong decision. She's just passed the legal years of age and as vulnerable as a baby. Coming to Seoul is a dream to her. An answer to all her prayers. I won’t allow her to be disappointed. Understand that, Lord Jeon."

His expression took on a hint of menace, as gentle and firm as his voice. "Taehyeon will have all the things she's dreamed of. Exactly as she's dreamed of them. You'll make sure of it or you’ll lose everything you care for. I’ll promise you that."

Jungkook still couldn’t understand it. "Why?" He asked, shaking his head. "There must be dozens of other people you could’ve chosen."

"Hardly," was the casual snort as Namjoon opened a desk drawer and pulled out a single sheet of paper, which he read out. "I've been informed by my... sources that you're an impressive musician, updated with the latest trends, highly admired among the other young nobles as a rising power within the circle, considered the catch of the town by the mothers of all marriageable females and, according to my mistress—" Namjoon glanced up at him with a wry smile,"—handsome enough to make young girls faint should you happen to smile at them, which is not that often. Not that I want you charming Taehyeon, of course, and she's far too levelheaded for that sort of nonsense." He waved a hand. Leaning, he offered the paper to Jungkook, who read it through with quick, brief scans. "Did I get something wrong?" Namjoon asked.

"... No." Jungkook passed the paper to Yoongi, who couldn’t stop his low whistle, impressed. He smoothed his trembling fingers in a relaxing gesture over the folds of his coat. "I would ask how you know so much about my family, even their dates of birth, but I think I wouldn't like the answer."

A chilly smile lifted the corners of Namjoon’s mouth, dimples deepening again. "No, I'm afraid you wouldn't."

"Well," said Yoongi, tossing the paper onto the desk. "Even _my_ name's listed as one of your companions. Never knew you'd be such a dangerous man to associate with, Guk."

"There's one pertinent important of information missing from your collection, my lord." Jungkook said, finally seeing a glimmer of freedom. "I spent most of last season seeing Miss Lee Jieun. It's well-known she and I have an understanding, despite the fact that I haven’t made a formal offer. I can’t possibly do what you ask without starting many unpleasant rumors, perhaps driving Miss Lee away even if I explain the matter to her."

Namjoon’s expression sharpened. "You'll tell no one what happened between us tonight. Either of you." His gaze fell briefly on Yoongi, who only stared at him in turn. "If Taehyeon should ever hear of it I would be… very displeased. I don't care what you do with your courtship. In my mind, she doesn't exist as a problem. The only thing I'm concerned about is that Taehyeon enjoy her first visit in Seoul and that she’ll spared from all the vultures in society. If she wants to attend parties, you make sure she attends them. If she wants to dance, you damn well make sure she dances. When she leaves Seoul to return to the country, I want her doing so with a smile on her face."

"If you love your sister so dearly," Yoongi said quietly, "then why don't you escort her yourself?"

Namjoon stood slowly, setting his hands palms down on the desk. " _That…_ is a foolish question, Lord Min, even for you. If I took Taehyeon around she'd be treated with respect for no other reason than fear, while all those sharp-tongued members of the circle would gleefully wreak havoc behind her back. If the most notable gentleman in Seoul shows a keen interest in Lady Kim Taehyeon, however, society will welcome her with open arms." From his greater height, Namjoon gazed down at them, a waiting panther with satisfaction upon its helpless prey.

"Taehyeon and Jimin will be arriving in three weeks with my sister-in-law, Lady Seojin. Their first trip will be on Hongdae Court, I’ve already secured vouchers for them. I’d advise that you make yourself known to Taehyeon then, Jungkook. A month after that I'll be holding her and Jimin’s debut here in Ilsan Hall and I'll expect to see you leading Taehyeon out for the first dance."

To Yoongi Namjoon added, "And if you bear any affection for our younger friend, Lord Min, then do what you can to help him in his efforts. Otherwise you'll find yourself comforting him as he serves his time in prison. It will be, I promise you, quite a long time. It will test the strength of your friendship quite nicely, I’m sure."

* * *

Min Yoongi was frowning.

"That can't be the girl, Guk." He stated flatly. "I didn't expect her to be good-looking, with having Kim Namjoon for a brother, but I didn't think she'd look that bright and cheerful. Are you sure there isn't any way for you to get out of this?"

"I'm sure," Jungkook replied grimly, clasping his hands behind his back as he contemplated the petite, dark-haired young woman standing at the other side of Hongdae Court, "The Earl headed off every attempt I made to pay my debts. Apparently he has his own personal army of cutthroats. My tailor was so upset when I tried to pay him personally I thought the man was going to have a seizure. It was the same everywhere else. People, it seems, are rather in awe of Lord Kim."

"You're going to go through with it, then?" Yoongi asked, eyeing the young lady with doubt. "With _her_? Look at those arms. It looks like she could take on every man in the room and come out the easy winner. God. She gives new meaning to the idea of country girls being healthy."

Jungkook stifled a chuckle. "She's not that bad, Yoongi. Perhaps not beautiful, certainly nothing like Miss Jieun, but pretty enough. As long as she's aware of her manners I wouldn’t mind escorting her around Seoul."

"Pretty," Yoongi said. "Huh. If that's what you like in a woman."

"I like cheerful girls, and she seems to be taller than Miss Jieun. Look at that smile. Very bright and charming. She’s bessotting people left and right. Look, she has Jongin laughing. I don't think I've ever seen him laugh that hard before. I wonder what she's telling him?"

"Probably 'Laugh or I'll bust your kneecaps, you skinny reed,'" Yoongi suggested dryly. "My god, Sungwoon’s giving her a glass of punch. She’s got more men fluttering around her than moths to a flame. What was Namjoon worrying about? It doesn't look like she needs helping. You should go back to that haunted house of his and tell him his sister's doing fine on her own. What?" He looked over as Jungkook hand gripped his sleeve.

Seeing the expression on the younger man’s face, Yoongi made a face. "What, Guk?"

"There." Jungkook nodded across the room. "Sitting right behind where The Earl’s sister is standing. See her?"

Tilting his head to see through the swirl of dancers on the floor, Yoongi looked, and after the initial shock wore off, announced, "She's mine. You've already got Lady Taehyeon to look after, as well as Miss Jieun to keep happy."

"She's beautiful." Jungkook murmured, staring. "I've never seen hair that color, so blond it's almost white. She looks like a painting of an angel come to life. Who do you think she is?"

"Doesn't matter, Guk." Yoongi assured him, smoothing both hands over his elegant black coat. "She's all mine. You go take care of Lady Taehyeon. I'll take care of the angel. Do you think she's been given permission to dance?" He looked about. "Where's one of the patronesses?"

"There's Lady Hani," Jungkook quickly said, smiling at the lady in his most charming manner as he gave her an elegant bow. "Ah, that did it. Here she comes."

"There you are, my lords, at last," Lady Hani said warmly, though without greetings, as she neared them. She added in a lower voice, "I've been waiting for quite some time. I assured Lord Kim that his sister would be well taken care of even before you arrived, but, even as I tried, none of the gentlemen I've introduced her to will ask her to dance. I don't know what The Earl expects, unless it's a miracle. Of course, if you'll dance with her, the rest will follow. Come and be introduced to her sister-in-law. You also, Lord Min."

Exchanging glances, the two men obediently followed as Lady Suran led the way.

"Lady Seojin!" Lady Hani greeted enthusiastically, holding out a hand to a tall, elegantly dressed woman who stood in the midst of a group of similarly aged ladies, chatting amiably. She was a stunningly beautiful woman, with dark auburn hair, full lips, and large almond eyes, and Jungkook found it impossible to gaze at her without a surge of masculine admiration.

"My lady," Lady Hani said, pulling her forward, "I want to introduce you to two favorable gentlemen. Jeon Jungkook, the Earl of Busan, and Jeon Jungkook, Viscount of Daegu. My lords, this is Lady Kim Seojin, the Countess of Ilsan."

They exchanged polite greetings before Lady Hani confided to Lady Seojin, "Lord Jeon has expressed a desire to dance with your sister-in-law. If it is acceptable to you, I'll introduce them and give her my permission to waltz."

Lady Seojin’s steady gaze fell upon Jungkook, so thoughtful and contemplative that, after a moment of silent consideration, he began to feel uncomfortable. He realized that she must wonder at Lady Hani’s sudden insistence and enthusiasm to introduce him to her sister-in-law. He was rather amazed, too. In the wave of self-pity—and anger—that had engulfed him during the month since his meeting with the Earl, it had not occurred to Jungkook that others might be affected by this situation. But here was Kim Namjoon’s animated, charming sister, his angelic niece, his beautiful, wary sister-in-law and even Lady Hani, all caught up in the same tangled spider web that Jungkook was.

All victims of the Earl’s whim and power.

"I would be grateful, my lady," he found himself saying, feeling a sudden kinship with the woman. The idea of having his revenge by using the Earl’s sister had tempted him for the shortest moment, but now, staring into Lady Seojin’s eyes, all similar thoughts permanently disappeared. It was wrong to take out his anger out on these innocent women.

The lady’s gaze didn't waver, but she nodded and said, "If Taehyeon is willing, then I give my approval. You’d have to ask her, of course." To Lady Hani she added, "I'm grateful, my lady, for your kindness."

And so Jungkook found himself following both ladies, with Yoongi in tow, across the room. When they were nearly there the crowd of gentlemen surrounding the dark-haired girl gave way and the young lady herself emerged, greeting them with such a charming, dazzling smile Jungkook felt a sudden shock of appreciation.

She was petite and, as Yoongi had said, healthy. Her skin was smooth, just the side of tan, her eyes sparkling like crystals. Her hair, which Jungkook had assumed was black, was actually a deep auburn, with a multitude of shining brown-red strands glimmering beneath the light of Hongdae’s lamps.

"Mama!" She cried, clasping one of Lady Seojin’s hands. "It's so wonderful! Lord Jongin’s invited several of his friends to town, and he says we could go dancing with them one of these days whenever we could be available! Could we, Mama?"

"That's very kind of him, my dear, and of course you can. We’ll just have to find the right time." Lady Seojin said with a warm smile. When the girl opened her mouth to say more, the lady continued flawlessly without pause. "Ah, yes. Jimin, I would like to introduce you to the Earl of Busan and the Viscount of Daegu. My lords, this is my daughter, Lady Kim Jimin."

"My lady," Jungkook greeted with a polite calm that was completely at odds with the way his head was spinning. Bowing over the rather small hand Lady Jimin offered, his gaze fell upon the young woman sitting almost directly behind her. That, he realized, was Kim Namjoon’s sister. The very beautiful Lady Kim Taehyeon.

And he was the lucky man who was going to have the pleasure of escorting an angel about Seoul for the next three months.

* * *

 _Oh, no,_ Taehyeon thought with a groan. _Not him. Anyone but him, please, Aunt Jin._

She wished she'd never come to Seoul. What had possessed her to _think_ that she would be able to fit in here, among people who didn't allow themselves or their families to acknowledge, let alone associate with, someone like her? Namjoon had tried to warn her what it would be like, and Aunt Jin, too, but Taehyeon had been stubborn.

 _And an idiot_ , she thought now with deep regret. How naive of her, dreaming of Seoul, of parties and beautiful clothes and dancing with handsome gentlemen like the ones who had so politely found reasons over the past hour to excuse themselves and walk away.

 _Oh, help._ He was smiling at her now. The most handsome man in the room, the one every woman was looking at with open admiration—she wouldn't be able to hide her humiliation this time. Taehyeon had managed it with all the others, somehow, but when this man's face changed with realization, then with revulsion, Taehyeon knew she wouldn't be able to keep the pain at bay.

Clenching her trembling hands together, she stood when Aunt Jin brought him forward, just as she had stood to be introduced to all the others. It was hard to make herself look at his face. Taehyeon had seen him the moment he'd arrived—heck, everyone in the room had turned to look at his tall, dark figure, so elegant in the dark satin evening clothes that matched the color of his eyes.

"My lord," Aunt Jin was saying, although Taehyeon barely heard her above the buzzing in her head.

She wondered if she was going to faint, and thought perhaps it might be a blessing if she did. "May I present my sister-in-law, Lady Kim Taehyeon? Tae, this is the Earl of Busan, Jeon Jungkook."

He gave her a smile so charming and appreciative it made Taehyeon’s toes curl in her heels. If she hadn't already been unable to speak, that smile alone would have made her unable to. Her hand seemed to lift of its own will, and she felt the warmth of his fingers closing gently about her own, pulling them up to his mouth as he bent to briefly press his lips against the silk of her glove.

"My lady," he said, his voice as caressing as his soft-eyed gaze, "I'm honored."

When she was a child, Taehyeon had spent hours on her knees praying for a miracle, but _never_ , not even in those tearful, pleading moments, had she wished more than she did now that she could speak as others also could.

He kept smiling, holding her hand, waiting for a response, and Taehyeon realized that she was simply staring. Giving a slight nod, she looked expectantly at Aunt Jin, who only said, "Lord Jeon has asked for permission to dance with you, Taehyeon, and Lady Hani has given you her permission to waltz."

Taehyeon’s eyes widened, and, as if the universe meant to keep her in misery on that day, the musicians suddenly began to play the music for the next dance—a waltz.

Lord Jungkook looked completely pleased, as if he'd just been given the greatest honor of the night. "If you’re not already spoken for, I would be grateful for this dance, my lady."

She couldn't. Never. She'd rather be humiliated on the spot than have the memory of dancing in his arms to think about for the rest of her life. Taehyeon began to shake her head, to tug at the hand Lord Jeon insistently held, all the while looking pleadingly at Aunt Jin, who gazed back with calm encouragement.

"You came to Seoul to dance, my dear," Aunt Jin said in a low voice. "You must dance."

 _She wasn't going to tell him!_ Taehyeon realized, feeling the shock jolt vividly through her limbs. Aunt Jin had told all the others. Why wouldn't she tell him?

She turned to Jimin for help, only to be met by the girl's pleading expression. Jimin had refused to dance until they both could. She had wanted this visit in Seoul just as much as Taehyeon had. 

_Oh, help me._

Lord Jeon’s handsome face began to fill with bewilderment. He would realize the truth in a few moments. He would feel like a complete fool. Taehyeon cast one last pleading glance at Aunt Jin, who only motioned her toward the dance floor.

It happened, somehow. Taehyeon couldn't remember whether she had walked into Lord Jeon’s arms or whether he had pulled her. One moment she was merely standing, and the next she was with him, gliding across the dance floor.

She didn't know how her feet managed to make all the right steps, but somehow they did. Taehyeon felt as stiff as a stick, and just as unreliable. Lord Jeon seemed to think so too, because he started to speak after a few awkward turns. "It's very crowded, is it? Is it much worse than what you're used to in the country?"

Taehyeon couldn't bring herself to look at him. Keeping her eyes on her feet, she shook her head.

"I won’t let you trip, Lady Taehyeon." He said gently, closer to her ear that she felt the warmth of his breath. She lifted her head to find that he was smiling at her with an expression as innocent and as unassuming as a schoolboy's. He tightened his grip on both her hand and waist and spun her about in a rapid turn, causing Taehyeon to gasp aloud, before he returned their movements to a more normal pace. With the same smile on his lips, Lord Jeon added, "You dance very well, my lady."

The kind lie was so blatant that it almost made Taehyeon smile in turn. It was a sweet attempt. She could dance well when the circumstances were right. At the moment, however, she didn't doubt she was dancing with all the grace and refinement of a drunken bull.

Fortunately, Lord Jeon was capable of pulling her along with enough ease to keep her from appearing too clumsy to the onlookers in the room. In the morning, the gossiping would start. Namjoon had told her it would, but the idea hadn't particularly distressed Taehyeon before tonight. Now that she had her taste of the high nobility, she was fully grateful that polite society wouldn't be able to add ‘clumsy and awkward’ to her list of shortcomings.

"Are you currently enjoying your visit to Seoul, Lady Taehyeon?" Lord Jeon asked.

She shook her head. _No._

A flash of surprise lit his eyes, though his features betrayed nothing more than polite interest.

"Have you arrived recently? I couldn’t remember seeing you before at any other occasions."

Taehyeon shook her head once more, and could see that he was becoming slightly wary. Suspicious. It would only be a few short moments more before he finally understood the truth, before his admiration turned to shock and disgust. He would be too much of a gentleman to desert her in the middle of their dance. She would have to endure the hellish moments of his disappointment until the music ended.

"Maybe," Lord Jeon began hesitantly, "we could find a way to make your stay in Seoul more enjoyable. I’d be honored if you would allow me to put some effort to the task, my lady."

Taehyeon’s heart had dropped all the way from her chest to her feet. If only he knew how she had longed for a man to say such sweet words to her. If he only he knew—

But realization was dawning as he gazed questioningly into her eyes.

Little by little, as they danced without speaking, Taehyeon could see he understood. He was stunned for a few moments, and then, as her vision blurred with tears, Lord Jeon began to look angry. His hands tightened on her once more, and he released a hard, taut breath as he twirled her about sharply.

He was more than angry, Taehyeon realized. He was furious. People were watching them, had been watching since they'd begun to dance. He must have suddenly realized how foolish he looked by trying to converse with her—with a woman who didn't speak. He’d feel as if he'd been tricked by Aunt Jin, perhaps by Lady Hani, perhaps even by Taehyeon herself, into dancing with a freak.

"Don't cry, my lady." Taehyeon heard him say tersely. "The dance will be over soon. God, don't let them see you in tears."

Taehyeon tightly shut her eyes, but he said, "My lady, please look at me." And again, more firmly, "Look at me, Lady Taehyeon. Into my face. Yes, like that. Keep your eyes on me. Now… smile." Lord Jeon smiled at her stunned expression, as if showing her how it’s done.

"Smile," he said again, "at me. As if I'm the most charming, interesting man you've ever known. If they're going to talk, let's give them something worth talking about."

 _Something worth talking about?_ She thought incoherently, unable to understand. He wanted her to smile at him?

"Not like that, as if I suddenly had a second head," he chided gently. "You're supposed to look as if you're enjoying this. Aren't you enjoying it? I am, my lady. You're the most beautiful woman in this room. In all of Korea, for that matter. And you're dancing in my arms. But you’re looking at me as if you realized I’m a ghost."

Taehyeon didn't believe him. He couldn't mean it. She had never seen anyone who looked as if he was enjoying what he was doing less than Lord Jeon did at that moment.

He spun her about again and again until Taehyeon began to feel breathless. Then he leaned closer and whispered, in her ear. "Let's give the gossips something to talk about. Shall we?"

She didn't care what his motives were. If he could pretend to enjoy himself to save face, then so could she. With a definitive nod, Taehyeon lifted her chin and gave him her most dazzling smile. He blinked at her, then his own smile widened. "Very well then, my lady."

The remainder of the dance was pure enjoyment. Taehyeon relaxed and matched Lord Jeon’s daring movements step for step. By the time it was over they were both flushed and grinning. Lord Jeon bowed over her hand with a gallant flourish, kissing her fingers grandly as the rest of the assembly looked on.

"Thank you, Lady Taehyeon. You're a marvelous partner. I'm honored to have been allowed to lead you out in your first waltz."

Taehyeon replied with an elegant curtsy.

With unhurried and deliberate care, Lord Jeon returned her to Aunt Jin’s side, and then, with Lady Hani beaming and Jimin and everyone in the room watching, he said, "May I visit you one day soon, my lady, in the hope of a drive? You will honor me with the pleasure of your company."

He was still furious. Taehyeon could hear his anger clearly beneath the gentleness of his words. Lord Jeon was doing what was expected of him, what was necessary to save them from embarrassment. She should tell him no and release them both from the burden of the charade, but…

Taehyeon found herself nodding when he gazed into her eyes.

Lord Jeon bowed, gently kissed her hand again, then took his leave of Aunt Jin and Lady Hani. He spoke to no one else as he made his way to the courtroom doors, ignoring the stares and whispers of everyone who watched him leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! This is the start of my Regency!AU. I am not lying when I said that this will be at the level of trashy romance novels, bodice-rippings and scandals and all.
> 
>  **Just to set your expectations, there WILL be mentions of (period-accurate) ableism and discrimination against (somewhat) disabled people, as well as genderbended Bangtan members.** If these things offend you, I encourage you to click away and read something else, because I will not stand for any self-righteous BS. Remember that this is FICTION, and a lot more terrible things happen in fiction and REAL LIFE, so please grow up and go elsewhere. Thank you.
> 
> I would try my best to update every week, since this is a plot bunny I'm very keen on finishing. This is mainly Taekook and NamJin, with some side YoonMin and Hoseok/IU (yes. I'm making that a thing.)


	2. Chapter Two

Jungkook walked for some time, aimlessly, neither knowing nor caring where he went. The night air was cold, and his harsh breathing coupled with it formed a painful, icy knot in his lungs. He tried not to think of what had just happened, of what he had almost done. Instead, he let his anger remain solely on Kim Namjoon, and on what he would do to the man if he could somehow manage to get his hands around his neck.

The idea pulled Jungkook to a stop, and he stood where he was and stared into the darkness. _Kim Namjoon_. He was more than half tempted to go to the man's house and curse him to the devil. Or personally send him to the devil, more like.

The man had claimed to love his sister so much.

 _Love_! Jungkook thought with silent rage. The inconsiderate bastard wouldn't know what love and care were if they walked up and bit him on the—

"Good evening, Lord Jeon."

Jungkook turned to face the owner of the voice that spoke to him. At once, he recognized  the slender, well-dressed man who had repeatedly appeared in various corners and side streets during the past few days while Jungkook was attempting to repay his debts. He'd been hesitant, at first, to believe that the man was one of Kim Namjoon’s... employees, but it had become clear, despite the gentleman's obvious civility and manners, that he was an expert when it came to being a shadow.

"Your master must pay you well," Jungkook stated, his voice low and calm. "Day _and_ night, is it?"

"I'm paid well enough for my services." He made a slight bow, never taking his eyes from Jungkook.

"I see. Are you going to follow me to where I’m going and wait for me until I've finished with my business? Will you watch over my house while I'm sleeping? I’m certain Namjoon doesn't expect me to flee the country in the middle of the night."

"You'd have to ask the Earl what he thinks, my lord," the man answered evenly. "I don't make a habit of questioning my employers."

Jungkook gave the man a humorless smile. "Certainly you don't. Dogs are obedient to their masters."

A thin smile curled the man's lips. "Wise dogs are, my lord, which is a lesson I recommend you learn to live by until you've regained your debts. I was curious to see that Lady Taehyeon left Hongdae shortly after you did. Perhaps you'd best tell me what happened, as I shall need to know what to report back to Lord Kim—"

Jungkook shoved the man up against the wall of the nearest building, easily lifting him by the collar until they were eye to eye. "To Lord Kim Namjoon? You need to know what to report back to your demon master?" He thrust the man harder into the bricks. "You tell him that he should've warned me beforehand that the sister he claims to love so well is mute. _You tell him_ , you son of a bitch, that I very nearly humiliated that same sister tonight because I wasn't prepared due to my shock. I can only thank my mother taught me so well never to embarrass a female in any public location, or else Lady Taehyeon would have found herself dancing alone on the floor at Hongdae Court. _That's_ what you tell him. Understand?" He hauled the smaller man a few inches higher for emphasis.

"Put him down, my lord."

Jungkook glanced briefly to one side, seeing the two burly men who stood nearby.

"So the shadow has shadows of his own, does he?" His lips pulled back into a feral smile. "How very convenient."

"Now, if you please, my lord. We don't want to make you do it."

"Don't you?" Jungkook asked softly, lowering the other man slowly to his feet. "But _I'd_  like very much to see if you could." He glanced at his captive. "Remember the message I want you to give your master. Word for word, you understand? And remember, too, that if I ever see you sneaking around and about me again I'll make you regret it." Then, raising one fist, he deftly sent the man flying into the arms of his guardians.

"Now," Jungkook said as the other men stared at him in disbelief, "shall we do this one at a time or all together?"

"Guess we'd better teach him a lesson, Hobeom," the taller of the two said as he carelessly tossed Namjoon’s insensible minion to the ground. "You hold him, and I’ll take him from the front."

Smiling, Jungkook began to pull the gloves from his hands, but stopped when he heard Min Yoongi’s rather bored voice emanating from the darkness.

"I'm very sorry to interrupt," Yoongi drawled as he strolled into their midst, "and I know you won’t forgive me for spoiling your fun, Guk," he added casually, placing his smaller, but lean self near his friend, "but out of respect for your mother, I think I must. I would appreciate it if you… _gentlemen_ —" he drew the word out slowly, "—would take your friend and leave."

"Your timing is terrible, Yoongi." Jungkook sighed, glancing at him briefly. "I was going to enjoy this."

"I know," Yoongi rolled his eyes as the two men took in their now equal numbers with some caution. "But for god’s dake, can't you confine your fun to more conventional means, like gambling and drinking and women?" With a nod at the man lying on the ground, he repeated, "Take him and go before I change my mind and let him at you. I assure you, you won’t leave with your faces and bodies intact."

Exchanging glances, the men clearly decided that they'd be better off doing as they were told. When they had dragged their… friend away as well, Yoongi turned to Jungkook with a sigh.

"You," he said, "are an exhausting person to be friends with. Here." He pushed a dark garment at Jungkook. "You left your cape at Hongdae, along with your coach. I think you set some kind of record tonight. You've managed to set Seoul’s gossip mill working, send your coachman into an apoplexy wondering whether he should wait for you to return to Hongdae, and expose yourself to the cold night air. I wouldn’t be surprised if you caught a cold. Quite exceptional, even for you."

"Yes, Mom," Jungkook said, still somewhat put-upon, setting the elegant cloak around his shoulders.

"Never seen you look so shocked on a dance floor before," Yoongi continued pleasantly. "Was it the angel's beauty that made you like that, or was it something she said?"

Just thinking about it was enough to get Jungkook’s blood boiling again. "The _angel_ ," Jungkook answered, leaning wearily against the wall, "didn't say anything. She can't speak. Either that or she won't speak. She's mute."

Now it was Yoongi’s turn to look shocked. " _Mute_? Namjoon’s sister? Are you sure?"

"Reasonably. Didn't you wonder why such a beautiful woman wasn't being fought over by every man in the room? Lady Hani said that none of the men she'd introduced Lady Taehyeon to had asked her to dance. Hell, even I would have found some excuse to keep from asking her myself, if I'd known. Thankfully, she seems to be able to hear well enough. She must be able to, since she clearly understood what I was saying to her, and she was able to dance in time to the music. But unless she's unable to make simple conversation for some reason, I can only conclude that she is mute."

Yoongi was still in disbelief. "But Namjoon would have said _something_. To hide something of that magnitude is—"

"One would think so," Jungkook agreed. "Any decent, normal, civilized person would have. But not _Namjoon_. I can't begin to think why he would keep it from me, but it could have been a disastrous event, especially for his _beloved_ sister. I was so surprised when I realized the truth that I almost humiliated her, and disgraced myself." Jungkook leaned his head against the bricks, staring up at the sky. "What was she _thinking_ all that time while I chattered on? I don't even remember what I was saying…some idiotic talk about Seoul, I think. It must have been a nightmare for her. The way she looked when she knew I'd realized why she was silent." He groaned and rubbed his forehead. "I can only hope that we finished the dance well enough that the vultures will be somehow satisfied by tomorrow."

"Well, don’t worry about that, you recovered well." Yoongi assured him. "And if that look you had on your face when she smiled at you was, in fact, an act, then you should go up on a stage and be an actor, Guk. You’re depriving the world of your talent."

Jungkook remembered, somewhat uncomfortably, how thoroughly Lady Taehyeon’s smile had stunned him. She was one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen, but when she smiled she was something else again. Just the memory made him feel slightly dazed.

"Was she all right after I left?" Jungkook asked. "I should have stayed, but I was too angry. I had to leave and take my tongue with me or stay and tell Namjoon to go to hell in front of too many of Seoul’s best gossips."

"She seemed a little embarrassed, if that's what you mean." Yoongi snorted, "but no damage was done. A few other men approached her. Kang Sung, for one. Having seen you come out of the experience intact, they decided she was safe, I suppose."

"She danced, then?"

"No. She apparently didn’t appear safe enough for that. But it didn't matter. Lady Jimin later said that she was tired and wanted to leave. They make a habit of keeping their schedule in the country in Seoul still, or so the chick informed me."

"... _Lady Jimin_?" Jungkook was slowly grinning at his friend. "Did you dance with her, Yoongi?"

"If you could call it that." Lord Yoongi gave a warning glance, rolling his eyes. "It was like a wrestling match, trying to lead her about. God, she's got more muscle on her than my younger cousin. And when she got excited, which was every five seconds, she squeezed my fingers so hard I swear that they'll be bruised in the morning." He shook the hand in question as if to drive the memory away. "She and Lady Taehyeon go riding every morning, she said, sun, rain or snow, and she wanted to sleep early so that she can wake up before dawn. Lady Taehyeon looked completely relieved to go."

"I'll bet she did." With a final sigh, Jungkook turned and began to walk back in the direction of Hongdae Court. "A woman without a voice. What does Namjoon expect of me? She'll be accepted only so far in society, to the point where her disability doesn't make those around her uncomfortable, but beyond that…"

Yoongi followed in step beside him. "I don't know how she would have any trouble," Yoongi replied. "A beautiful woman who can't talk a man half to death sounds like the ideal wife to me. I think every unmarried man in Seoul would want to marry her." He smirked at Jungkook, who didn't share his attempt at humor.

"It's a damned shame," Jungkook murmured, "for a such beauty to be cursed with such a disability."

"I think you’re thinking about it too much, Guk." Yoongi continued. "So she doesn’t have a voice. That doesn't mean she can't make herself understood, and I’m sure she’s educated enough to manage her home and raise her and her husband’s children. A man doesn't want more than that in a wife, does he? And honestly, with her beauty, who wouldn’t want a woman like her?"

"Would you marry a woman who couldn't speak, Yoongi?"

"I..." Yoongi started, then paused once the question set in.

"... I thought so." Jungkook said after a while, and Yoongi flushed with some shame. "You see how it is, Yoongi. And that's not going to be the worst of it. You _know_ what people think of the deaf and mute. She'll be labeled an idiot, or demon-possessed."

"Which is wrong and should be corrected." Yoongi pointed out. "I've read Yang Hyuksuk’s papers on deaf-mutes. He said they’re essentially cursed by God and have done some grievous act in their past life to warrant a punishment like that. Lady Taehyeon isn't deaf."

"It doesn't matter. She'll still be seen as more animal than human. Apparently, only those of us blessed with voices possess souls." Jungkook said with a scowl. "Yang Hyunsuk’s been quite influential in spreading his opinions. Lady Taehyeon will have to combat with more than her disability if she wants to make her way in this society."

Yoongi glanced at him. "You're going to tell Namjoon that what he wants is impossible, then?"

Jungkook shook his head.

"Not at all. I'm going to do exactly what he wants. His sister wants to enjoy her stay in Seoul, and I’ll make _sure_ she’ll enjoy it. I’m not sure she knows what she's asking for, but for the next three months I will ensure that Lady Kim Taehyeon has the time of her life."

* * *

The Earl of Ilsan disliked change, especially when it came to his own home. He disliked having the place so lit up that even the least used hallway was as bright as day in the middle of the night, and having more servants about than he required for his single person, with maids and footmen constantly cleaning and scrubbing and carrying and fetching.

He felt exposed in the light. The scars on his body were more readily visible and it was impossible to hide his overtly-tall, hunched self. Even when dressed in the most elegant and gentlemanly clothes he felt society's eyes on him, staring with the kind of revulsion that made him feel more like a beast than man. Not that he gave a damn about what society thought, but there were a few people he would rather not let him see in his full, hulking, ugly glory, and having the most important one among them residing in his home for several months was, for Namjoon, an acutely unpleasant feeling.

Every time Lady Kim Seojin looked at him with one of her steady gazes he wanted to put a hand up and cover his face. She was the only woman—the only _person_ —who had the power to make him wish he was something other than what he was.

He had left his home at the age of fourteen and hadn't returned until the day of his brother's funeral. He'd had news of his family over the years, and had been aware that Hyosang had married, but he'd never actually seen Lady Seojin until that day.

There, standing at Hyosang’s graveside, he had set eyes on a woman so perfect that his knees had nearly given way from the shock. The remainder of the service passed in a blur; he'd been too busy trying to force his mind into some semblance of order to pay much attention to the proceedings.

But there was no use. Whatever spell had been casted on him at seeing Kim Seojin had taken hold, and had maintained its iron grip since. Every time he saw her, the passion he felt gripped him again, as if it were the first time all over again.

Even until now, as she reclined before the warmth of the library fire, her head tilted against the heavily cushioned chair, her eyes closed with weary, but pleasant, exhaustion.

He stood in the shadows, watching, his heart pounding more frantically than it would ever do for anything that his mistress, or any other woman, might do for his pleasure. In her sleepy, slightly disheveled state, Kim Seojin wielded more power to bring him to his knees.

"You had a good evening, then?" Namjoon eventually asked, wishing he knew how to be comfortable with her, how to sit near her, and talk to her the way another man might do. "Taehyeon seemed happy enough."

Opening her eyes, Jin smiled. "She did, didn't she? I was so relieved when she finally danced. Before Lord Jeon arrived I thought the evening was going to be a complete disaster." More thoughtfully, she added, "It wasn't what she'd been hoping for, just as we knew it wouldn't be, but she was so happy afterwards. Having the the most handsome man in the room for a partner in her first waltz must have been exactly like one of the dreams she often told me about." Jin’s smile grew wistful. "Like the dreams every girl has, I would think. I wish you had seen them together, Namjoon. They made a beautiful couple, and Tae danced with perfection. You would have been so proud."

"I'm always proud of Tae," he replied, taking a sip from the glass of whiskey he held. "Jeon acted as was proper?''

"Oh, yes. He's everything that a young lord should be, quite perfect in every way. I doubt there was a girl at Hongdae who wasn't eaten alive with envy when he asked Taehyeon—and only Tae—to dance."

The sadness in her tone caused Namjoon to stiffen instinctively. "You didn’t like him, Jin?"

"Of course not, Namjoon. I hardly know the boy, and certainly not enough to disapprove of him. But I worry about Tae. I don't want to be that person, but—I know you'll understand what I mean when I say this—I almost wish we had gotten everything over with tonight instead of giving her a new reason to hope." She sighed. "Even if Lord Jeon follows through on his promise to take her out, I'm afraid she'll still be terribly hurt. As soon as, perhaps, during our next outing. No man who was introduced to her tonight would ask her to dance before Lord Jeon did. And she was so afraid to dance with him that I had to make her do it."

"She seems to have come through the experience well enough."

Seojin suddenly sat forward. "Yes, but—"

"We have to give her this chance, Jin." Namjoon said firmly. "We warned her and she didn't want to listen, and experience is a much better teacher. After tonight she knows what she's up against, and it's her decision if she wants to go on or go home. Taehyeon is not a quitter. Or weak. If she was, I would never have let her leave Geochang."

Jin pinned him with the sort of tightly angry expression that always made him want to kiss the breath out of her. "Tae isn't you, Namjoon, or even remotely like you. She's an innocent, sheltered young woman. She wouldn't be able to go through the kind of… _experiences_ you've had and come out intact."

Namjoon couldn't stop the laughter her words brought. "Lady Seojin, I think you can’t compare a season in Seoul to spending fifteen years in the company of plunderers, thieves, and murderers. I have to admit that there are some frightening similarities, but at least Tae wouldn’t need to worry that Lady Lalisa or Jeonhan would stick a knife between her shoulders if she doesn't make a proper curtsy."

"Words and actions, Namjoon, can be just as painful as a knife." Jin said, sharp. "In the hands of a Lady Lalisa or Jeonhan, maybe even more."

"Those ladies," Namjoon replied, "attacks Taehyeon at their own risk. You don’t need to worry."

Lady Seojin shook her head, clearly not willing to back down. "So we just let Tae go on until she meets disaster, is that it? Tonight wasn't humiliating enough? Should we let her continue until society brings her to her knees?"

Namjoon been wholly, helplessly in love with Kim Seojin with every minute that had passed since he'd first set eyes on her, but there was always something about moments like this, when she finally gives in to her temper, that always made him think about what it would be like to take her to his bed and make love to her. Her unbound hair would be a glorious sight against the purity of snow-white sheets.

"Society won't bring Tae to her knees," he assured her with as cool a tone as he could make. Walking out of the shadows, he set his empty glass on a nearby table, the glass clinking on the lacquered wood with finality. "I won’t allow it."

Jin pushed to her feet and stood full height, her chin lifting stubbornly. "My lord, I understand a little about the power you wield, perhaps too little, but even you can't make society obey you."

"I don't require all of society to do so." Namjoon replied flawlessly. "Only those I think necessary. And you're still right, Jin. Despite what power you think I seem to wield when it comes to smoothing things over for Tae, she still must find her own way. I didn't want her to come to Seoul any more than you did, but we couldn't bury her in Geochang when she didn't want to be buried."

"She wasn't buried, Namjoon." Seojin retorted. "She has friends in Geochang who love and accept her, and she has activities there that doesn’t waste her days. Her life has been full and happy."

"Not enough," Namjoon reminded her quietly, "to keep her from dreaming of Seoul."

After a period of silence, she gave a long sigh. Even if he wasn't watching, Namjoon could almost see the softening in her stance. She moved toward him, so near that he could hardly hear her speaking over the sudden pound of his heart in his ears.

"I know you're right, Namjoon. I just…" She sighed. "I just wish I could find a way to stop worrying. It's been a long time since we've argued about Taehyeon." He heard the smile in her voice and felt an answering smile form on his own lips. "Do you remember how we used to fight over her?"

"I'll never forget." Namjoon said, chuckling. "The only times I've ever known real fear was when you say the words 'My lord, I _must_ speak with you.'"

They'd argued countless times about Taehyeon, especially in the beginning, when he'd returned to Geochang after an absence of fifteen years to find himself responsible for not only his family's titles and estates, but also for a small, pale, silent child who was brought to him by a serving maid only a few minutes after he'd arrived home.

He had never before seen the sister that his mother had given her life for in childbirth, but he knew of her, and their mother's death, several months after both had occurred. His father didn’t know what to do with a mute little girl, Hyosang was probably too busy with his own life and affairs to give a damn about his younger sister, and Seojin hadn’t been allowed to interfere.

Taehyeon had been given into the care of the servants and, as long as she was kept clean, fed, and out of the way, was mostly ignored. Despite the fact that her inability to speak in a normal voice had been caused by an incident when she was a child, she was treated as if she had been born an idiot. But Namjoon had known, from the moment he'd looked into her lively, bright eyes, that an intelligent mind hid behind her silence.

Taehyeon had taken in her older brother's darkness, his scarred skin and large size and his filthy clothes, and had given him an accepting, sweet smile, unwittingly making the first crack in a heart that had long since been pronounced dead, cold, and unfeeling. It had been his intention, until that moment, to see his brother buried, gain the title that he'd always loathed and promptly sell everything of value before taking the money and returning to the life he'd chosen. But as he stared into the trusting little face that reminded him so much of his mother's, the idea was gone as quickly as if it had never existed.

He had hated his father, his rigidly perfect brother, and everything about the nobility that made his mother become weak and frail with such cruel rapidity. He had come to hate _everything_ associated with the name Ilsan Kim.

But maybe he and Taehyeon could make something out of the wreckage they had inherited from their ancestors. They could certainly try.

Seojin made it easier when she insisted on moving to Geochang with Jimin to run the household for him and to take over Taehyeon’s care. She dismissed the servants who found it impossible to treat their new master with respect and quickly put the fear of God into the rest. She loved Taehyeon with a mother's tender care, as well as a mother's vigilance. They fought over everything, from doctors’ opinions about Taehyeon’s inability to speak to which teachers and methods would help Taehyeon the most. And when they weren't arguing with each other, they were arguing with the doctors and teachers.

"Was I so terrifying?" Jin asked softly, so near that Namjoon could feel the heat emanating from her tall, elegantly curved form. "I have to admit, Namjoon, that I didn't trust you in the beginning. I was afraid, for years, that you would disappear like you did before. Tae adored you so much, and she would have been hurt badly if you'd left. It was hard enough when you finally did have to go, though she was old enough to understand the duties you must perform as the Earl of Ilsan, and why you had to live in Seoul."

Namjoon honestly didn't give a damn about his duties as the Earl of Ilsan and never had, which was a truth he hoped kept all his ancestors continuously spinning in their graves.

Jin had always been the reason. The torture of being with her everyday, loving and wanting her and not being able to bring himself to do anything, much less touch her, had driven him away from Geochang five years ago. "I tried to visit as often as I could," he said. "If I thought Tae needed me, I'd stay for as long as necessary."

"Oh, Namjoon, I know that." Gently, Jin set a hand over the one he pressed against the table. "You've been wonderful to Tae, and to Jimin and I. I’ve learned to trust you completely."

Namjoon couldn't speak. He could barely breathe. All he could do was stare at the smooth, slightly crooked, but still beautiful feminine hand pressed over his own ugly, hairy paw and feel a sense of awe.

"We've missed you, Namjoon. Taehyeon and Jimin and… me. All of us."

Some long-honed instinct made him aware that the library door was about to open only a second before it did. Pulling his hand free, Namjoon turned in time to see his butler enter the room.

"The gentlemen you were expecting have arrived, my lord. I've put them in your study."

"Thank you. I'll be there in a moment."

Jin was already gathering her things. "I'll leave you to your business, Namjoon. You receive guests in the strangest hours." She stopped at the library doors. "One night while we're here, you must put a few hours aside and play a game of chess with me. Do you remember how we used to play?"

Namjoon nodded. "I remember that I generally beat you." He said with a slight smile.

She laughed. "That doesn’t stop me from trying." She put her fingers on one of the door handles. "Good night, Namjoon."

"Jin." Namjoon said, stopping her. "Don't worry about Tae. Everything is going to turn out fine. I promise."

She gazed at him for a moment, long and searching. "I know better than to ask you to come with us to any of trips the girls have been invited to, but I’d like to request one thing from you."

"Anything."

"Will you dance with Taehyeon at the girls' comeout ball? I know it's been many years since you had your lessons as a boy, and you’ve said before that it’s not in your interests, but I hope you remember enough to be her partner in a dance. It would mean a lot to her."

Namjoon let out a groaning sigh, knowing well that if anyone else had asked him he would have dismissed them without a second thought.

"One dance," Namjoon told her. "Only one."

The warm smile Jin gifted him before she left the room was more than enough to outweigh the regret he felt at giving the promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Burn The Stage ruined me. As did a lot of people. And to celebrate, I've finished the second chapter as quickly as I could. 
> 
> Thank you for the comments, kudos and support! It means a lot to me. I was afraid that this wouldn't interest some people, especially since it's straight couples (and we all love our gay fanfiction) but knowing the interest reassured me. 
> 
> And yes, there is a NamJin moment. If you checked out my profile, I am a whole NamJin whore and THEY SHOULD HAVE MORE STORIES ABOUT HOW PERFECT THEY ARE TOGETHER. Combing through the NamJin tag makes me sad a lot. 
> 
> I'll try my best to keep updating weekly! Also, I have a [tumblr](https://equinoxsolstice.tumblr.com). Feel free to message me there! :)


	3. Chapter Three

The early morning air was frigidly cold, and the two men mounted on horseback in Hangang Park snuggled more closely into the warmth of their coats, while their horses moved impatiently beneath them.

"I hope you know I despise you with everything I have, Jeon Jungkook." Yoongi grumbled, his words puffing small clouds into the air. "This is the damnedest idea you've ever had."

"I didn't ask you to come along, Yoongi." Jungkook replied calmly, looking around every so often. "And I'm not keeping you here. Go home to your warm bed, if you like."

Yoongi scowled. "And leave you to fend for yourself with two females?" He asked, rolling his eyes. "What sort of friend would I be? Besides, you need me to occupy Lady Jimin while you apologize to Lady Taehyeon. She talks a mile a minute; you won’t be able to get a word in apart from ‘Good morning’ unless someone else has her attention."

Jungkook bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from smiling. Yoongi was not subtle. "You're a good friend, Yoongi, but I'm perfectly capable of managing two girls without any help, thank you."

"You might be able to handle Namjoon’s sister," Yoongi agreed casually, "but I bet you can’t handle Lady Kim Jimin, even if you can catch up to her long enough to get her attention, which is unlikely." Yoongi shifted in his saddle and scanned the horizon. "The girl rides like a demon. Not even the grooms can keep up with her."

Jungkook looked at him with surprise. "You've seen her ride?"

Dark red stained across Yoongi’s handsome face violently. "Holly needed exercising and yesterday morning was the only time I had." At Jungkook’s slowly widening, accusatory grin, he added insistently, "And I just so happened to see her! Get that smile off your face, it’s irritating me."

"At _this_ hour?" Jungkook asked, starting to laugh. "Yoongi, in all the years I’ve known you, you’ve never gotten up early unless the situation called for it. Certainly not when you could just send someone to exercise him." Leaning toward his uncomfortable friend, he added in a conspiratorial tone, "Lady Jimin had caught your interest, hasn’t she?"

"That small, talkative female?" Yoongi sounded offended. "Have you lost your mind? The thought makes me shudder."

"You’re not that tall yourself." Jungkook pointed out, and Yoongi’s scowl deepened. "Besides, I think she’s charming." He continued, still unable to keep the laugher from his voice.

"Charming," Yoongi grumbled, "is not the word Lady Jimin brings to any mind. My god—here she comes. Look, do you see her!?"

Jungkook saw, and gave out a soft whistle of appreciation as a small, sapphire-clad figure bowed low over the neck of a magnificent black steed, racing full out across the empty park.

"What did I tell you?" Yoongi demanded angrily, pulling up his horse's head. "Damned female's going to break her neck—"

"She's rides magnificently," Jungkook murmured, still in awe. "What form—she must've been born in the saddle."

"Form my ass," Yoongi looked irritated, clutching the reins tightly. "What she needs is a good nagging. Of all the foolish, idiotic—Damn it! Is she going to jump over the fence?!"

Jungkook opened his mouth to reply that, yes, she was, but never managed to say it—Yoongi had already taken off after Lady Jimin, presumably to rescue her from harm. The effort would be futile, Jungkook thought, as it was obvious that Lady Jimin was a skilled rider.

Returning his attention to the direction where Lady Jimin appeared, he was greeted by the sight of Lady Taehyeon, followed by two grooms, riding at a slower, more ladylike pace. She had recognized him, and now was gazing at him warily, clearly unsure on whether she should continue or turn back.

"Lady Taehyeon," Jungkook said when became near enough to each other, "what a surprise. Good morning."

 _My god,_ he thought as his senses was once again captured by her beauty. She was almost too good to look at. The proper black riding outfit she wore only served to accentuate her white-blond hair and crystalline eyes. Such beauty would get her undivided attention from any normally blooded gentleman, while with the ladies... well, some of them would be bound to be unreasonably jealous.

He began to think how he would manage to hopefully, avoid those particular ladies when he realized that he and Lady Taehyeon were simply sitting together, silent. Her expressive face had an expression set somewhere between caution and embarrassment. She lifted one hand suddenly toward her wrist, as if to grab hold of something—a glove, he thought, or maybe a bracelet—then stopped, biting her lower lip with obvious distress.

With a mental shake, Jungkook smiled too brightly and said, in an equally bright tone that made him inwardly cringe, "It’s such a wonderful coincidence to have met you here.''

 _Oh GOD,_ he thought as her eyes filled with bewilderment. He already said something like that. He never realized, until that moment, how much he always depended on women to make and continue conversation. He resisted the urge to hit his head against the nape of his horse, as he thought of something he could say.

Jungkook was about to speak again, only heaven knew what, when she lifted one gloved hand and touched her lips, tentatively, with her forefinger. She hesitated, a blush slowly creeping up her cheeks, then she pointed at him.  Then at some flowers beneath a nearby tree, and then at herself. Pressing her hand flat above her chest, she made a slight bowing motion with her head.

"Oh," Jungkook said, suddenly mortified that he couldn’t understand what she was trying to say to him. This was horrible. He was an idiot. "Uh…yes."

Her face was flaming red now, but she drew in a breath and repeated the motions: first pointing at him, then the flowers, then herself. By the time she finished, comprehension had fortunately struck.

"The flowers I sent?" Jungkook asked slowly. "You... liked them?" When she nodded, he gave a short laugh, relieved. He was unable to keep the smile off his face. "I'm glad that you liked them."

Taehyeon placed her hand over her heart and made the bowing gesture again, and he waved the gratitude away. "You're welcome, my lady."

Her answering smile made him feel dizzy, like it had on the dance floor at Hongdae, he felt reassured. Maybe this wasn't going to be as bad as he'd thought.

"I have a confession to make, my lady." Jungkook said, and she tilted her head questioningly. "It isn't by accident that I met you here this morning. I knew you and Lady Jimin come here every day around this time, and I had hoped to meet you in person." The wariness was back on her face again, mixed with surprise. "I owe you an apology for my behavior at Hongdae two nights ago, and I wanted to make those apologies without anyone else present. I was afraid that you might be uncomfortable if I said my apologies in public."

Her brow furrowed, as if she didn't understand him, and then, pointing at him, she shook her head slowly and firmly.

"No?" Jungkook asked. "You wouldn’t have made you uncomfortable?"

A silent laugh crossed her lips and she shook her head again, making it plain that he didn’t understand. She was thoughtful for a moment, then set her reins in her lap.

Lady Taehyeon lifted both hands, smiling at him in a manner that invited him to join her world of silent symbols. Jungkook nodded, leaning forward in his saddle to watch what she did.

Entwining the forefingers of each hand, she rotated her hands in smooth, swirling motions.

"Dancing?" Jungkook guessed, and she nodded.

"Us, dancing?" he asked. She shook her head and mouthed the word _Hongdae_.

"I see. Hongdae Court."

One forefinger fell away, leaving the other alone. With an exaggerated, sad face, Lady Taehyeon pointed at herself and sighed. The lone forefinger bobbed over to one side and bent into what Jungkook thought was a sitting position.

"There you are, sitting alone at Hongdae Court, while other people are dancing?" he hazarded.

Lady Taehyeon nodded again, and gave another sigh. Turning her head suddenly, she gave a look of surprise at the sight of her other forefinger, which she'd lifted straight and high, with some distance from her other hand. She made a gasping sound.

When Jungkook began to laugh, she gave him a stern look and poked the straightened forefinger at him.

"That's me, isn’t it?" he asked, still chuckling.

She nodded firmly before resuming the surprised expression as the straight forefinger marched across the air to the sad, sitting forefinger. The straight finger bowed politely, to which the sitting finger reacted with shy reluctance, all of which Lady Taehyeon cleverly reflected through her facial expressions, along with her hand movements.

Jungkook watched, fascinated, as the two fingers reenacted their encounter at Hongdae Court with precision. He found it hard to tear his gaze away from her animated face, which so quickly and easily expressed the constantly changing emotions of both characters in the little play. She was kinder to him than he deserved, Jungkook thought, since his finger-character seemed to be very noble, stoic, and gentlemanly.

By the time his finger-figure marched out of the imaginary Hongdae Court, he had somehow managed to transform her sadly sighing little finger into a happily sighing finger. Dropping her hands, her face still bright with a blush, Lady Taehyeon looked to see if he understood.

"My apologies," Jungkook said slowly, "apparently are not necessary?"

With obvious relief, she shook her head.

"You are very kind, Lady Taehyeon. I was afraid that my behavior had embarrassed you or given you the wrong impression. It is true that I didn't realize you are mute until we were dancing, but I hope you know that that my distress was, in no way, directed towards you. You were wonderful in every way. I hope that you will be kind enough to show me more of talents and interests during your stay in Seoul."

The blush darkened significantly, and Lady Taehyeon’s lovely face took on an almost childlike mix of embarrassment and delight that thoroughly charmed Jungkook right down to the tips of his toes.

The sound of angry voices signaled the approach of Lady Jimin and Lord Yoongi, and both Jungkook and Lady Taehyeon turned their attention at hand.

"My lord," Lady Jimin said without waiting for Jungkook to greet her, "will you please tell this… this hard-headed friend of yours to return my horse back to me?!" As an afterthought, and after giving Yoongi a withering glare, she added, with a sweet smile at Jungkook, "Good morning."

"Good morning, my lady," Jungkook replied, just about as calm as he could be with amusement rising up inside him, noting that Yoongi did have the reins to Lady Jimin’s stallion in his hands. "Are we resorting to horse-stealing now, my lord?"

The look Yoongi gave him would have incinerated Jungkook where he was if it had that ability. "Anyone who rides like the devil is after them shouldn’t be allowed to get within ten feet of a horse."

After a moment of silent shock, Lady Jimin’s gloved hands curled into fists. "Oh! You—you ignorant, _jealous_ —!"

"Jealous!"

"— _rude_ idiot! You're only angry because I was able to outride you so well." Lady Jimin said hotly, tugging on her reins to no avail. "Yes, jealous!"

"Will you keep your voice down?" Yoongi demanded. "You're unsettling the horses. I know it's probably beyond your abilities to act like a gentle lady, being born in the country and all, but you can at least _try_ to speak like one."

Lady Jimin looked like she was about to explode, full cheeks red and expression thoroughly offended, and Jungkook loudly cleared his throat, causing both of them to look at him. "I believe you're the one who's shouting, old man." He gestured to the two grooms who sat on their horses at a proper, albeit within hearing, distance. "And from what I observed earlier, Lady Jimin is an excellent rider."

"Thank you, my lord." Lady Jimin lifted her chin in Lord Yoongi’s direction, satisfied with Jungkook’s praise.

"Don't you think you should return her horse back to her?" Jungkook suggested.

Yoongi scowled darkly. "Not that I'd care if she broke her neck, but I think it would be a good idea to escort her back to Ilsan Hall and have a word with the Earl. He should know at once how reckless his niece is acting."

Lady Jimin was scowling back. "Much good that will do," she said. " _He’s_ the one who taught me how to ride."

"Somehow," Lord Yoongi said tightly, "that doesn't surprise me. You certainly ride like the devil's daughter. Or niece. If it were up to me—"

"I _beg_ your pardon Lord Min," Lady Jimin interrupted, as cold as ice, at last wrestling her reins from his grip, while her horse danced confusedly beneath her, "but it is _not_ up to you."

She moved her horse a safe distance away from him, before adding, "I want to go back now, TaeTae."

Lady Taehyeon responded with several fluttering movements of her hands, too rapidly for Jungkook to make any sense of.

"Apologize?" Lady Jimin asked, clearly having no difficulty understanding what the other girl was saying. "Absolutely not. Never. Ever."

Yoongi made a huffing sound. "Probably doesn't even know how to."

Lady Jimin pinned him with a glare. "If Lord Yoongi feels like I have insulted him in some manner and requires proof of my abilities, he can challenge me to a race and determine for himself which of us is the better rider."

At this, Lady Taehyeon made more hand movements, making Jungkook look on, completely fascinated. It was her way of talking, he realized, but it was so fluid, so quick—like the fluttering of hummingbird wings. How did Lady Jimin manage to understand it?

"We _are_ from the country, TaeTae," Lady Jimin replied, now stiff, "and if Lord Min wants to mock us about that fact, then he's not the kind of gentleman Lord Jeon obviously is." She gave Jungkook a stunning smile. "If I need to apologize, then it will be to him for causing him to suffer through this scene. I do apologize, my lord."

"Don't worry, Lady Jimin," Jungkook assured her. "I try my best to enjoy Lord Min’s episodes when they occur."

"A wise decision," Lady Jimin nodded, while Yoongi glowered at Jungkook.

"We won’t keep you further," Jungkook said, smiling at both women. "But I would like to have the pleasure of taking you ladies for a drive, at your convenience. It would be a great honor to show you around Seoul."

With delighted enthusiasm that Jungkook found both touching and amusing, Lady Taehyeon and Lady Jimin agreed, and the two men were shortly riding away.

"Episodes?" Yoongi asked, gaping at Jungkook. " _Episodes_ , Guk?"

Jungkook shrugged lightly. "I don't know what else you'd call it. Chasing after a perfectly happy woman who had her horse under control and treating her like a child. Really, Yoongi. Why don’t you just grab Lady Jimin by the hair and drag her about the park like a caveman?"

Yoongi straightened in his saddle, refusing to dignify Jungkook with a response. "I don't want to talk about her. I don't even want to hear her name. Never met a more stubborn woman in my life. She'll have Seoul twisted on its head before the season's done. Did you make any progress with Lady Taehyeon?"

Jungkook nodded. "I think it would work out well. She's charming and can make herself understood more properly than I expected. Whatever her education was, it’s good enough to give her the confidence to express herself. Maybe I should ask Miss Jieun’s help in this." he added more thoughtfully. "She's always had a soft heart to the people who need it, and if she becomes friends with Lady Taehyeon, everything should proceed much more smoothly."

"That's not a bad idea," Yoongi agreed, approving. "With Miss Lee for an ally, no one would dare be uncivil. But what," he asked directly, "will you tell her?"

"She knows that I've taken the task to introduce two young ladies from the country into society. I don’t need to tell her anything more, but Miss Jieun is such a gentle soul that she wouldn't refuse to befriend them even if she knew the truth."

"Please," Yoongi emphasized, "don't tell her. I don’t want to imagine spending the next ten years visiting you in prison. And I doubt Miss Lee would, either."

Jungkook laughed out loud. "I have no intention of giving Kim Namjoon a reason to be displeased. Don’t worry, Yoongi. Lady Taehyeon will enjoy her stay in Seoul. I'll focus on it entirely."

"... It may be harder than I first thought," Yoongi said after a while. "I didn't understand any of those hand movements she made. It looked like a magician’s trick."

"I didn't either," Jungkook said, "but before you and Lady Jimin returned she used a different method of communicating that was delightful to watch. If I can somehow convince her to use it with other people, I believe she can win over even the most unforgiving members of our society."

"You sound more confident than you did two nights ago."

"I am. All I need to do is make sure she's out and about Seoul as often as possible, meeting the right people and making the right friends. Her beauty and Kim Namjoon’s power should do the rest in securing Lady Taehyeon’s place in society."

"I hope that's true, Guk." Yoongi said.

"... So do I."  

* * *

Jungkook spent the remainder of the day making plans and visits.

The plans, he knew, were only as good as time and fate would make them. He wrote to his steward in Busan with instructions to proceed with the land improvements they had talked about. Having met and, to some degree, successfully communicated with Lady Taehyeon, he at last felt comfortable in taking such a step.

To his family he wrote a determinedly lighter, more entertaining letter, making sure to erase any fears they might have had from the steward's behavior. Not that Jungkook believed his competent employee would have spoken of or shown his concern when it came to the warnings of impending doom that Jungkook had recently sent him, but the people in Busan were remarkably sensitive, and Jungkook, having spent a lifetime drowning in their well-meant concern, had learned early on to nip their worries in the bud.

In addition, he wanted his mother in Seoul. It was true that Countess Jeon rarely came to the capital, and his sisters seldom more, if they could avoid it, yet his dainty, slightly lunatical mother still welded the respect and power claimed by only the strongest and more influential of the Seoul’s matrons to launch a young lady into society, regardless of the young lady's imperfections. If Lady Taehyeon could endure and withstand his mother's and sisters' special kind of coddling, she would have nothing left to fear if she wants to make her way through the the nobility’s treacherous waters.

The visits were, on the whole, more predictable. Jieun and her mother, Lady Hyori, received him in the usual way, making him feel exactly like what he knew he was: an eligible, formidably titled bachelor which was the catch of the town. The grand prize of this season's market, like he had been the last season, the season before that, and even the season before that. Ever since he came of age he had more young women thrown at him during the past years than he could either remember or give count to.

But he had successfully managed to escape wedding bells, or even the consideration of it, until the right woman had finally come.

Jieun.

She was as beautiful inside as she was outside, and he had realized, shortly after meeting her, that she would be the ideal wife for him, despite being significantly older than him. Jungkook had very almost decided to propose to her this season.

Nearly.

He wasn’t completely sure why he was still holding back. He was fairly sure of what he felt towards her—if he didn't actually love Jieun, he certainly admired and was very fond of her—and he knew that she felt the same towards him. She had given him every hint that if he asked her to become his wife, her answer would be a positive one.

And yet he held back, waiting for something he couldn't place. Something ridiculous, he often told himself, chiding. Something similar to novels. Maybe a sensation of being struck by lightning when he looked at her, or a light-headed feeling when he kissed her lips—as he had already done twice without feeling even the least bit dizzy—or some kind of heart-pounding sensation, _anything_ , that would tell him he would never regret making her his wife.

Jungkook’s visit with her this afternoon only served to confirm to himself how much of a fool he was to hesitate. Jieun and he were ideal for each other, both in mind and spirit, and he was sure he would never find another woman so sweet, intelligent, and understanding.

He presented himself at Illsan Hall at five in the afternoon, and was informed by the Earl's formidable-looking butler that the Earl wished to speak with him before Jungkook took Lady Taehyeon and Lady Jimin on their planned drive.

Jungkook was taken to the study that, by now, was familiar to him as the place where Kim Namjoon carried out most of his deals.

This time, the Earl was already in the room, waiting.

"You're here," Namjoon said, glancing up from the papers in his hand as Jungkook walked through the door. "Good. Sit down." He nodded to the chair Jungkook had sat on on his earlier visit. "I think you already know what I want to discuss."

"I can guess," Jungkook replied, staring down at his host from behind the chair, where he continued to stand. "I hope your servant didn’t take too much permanent damage. I wouldn’t want to take a man out when he could still be useful. Someone shouldn't be allowed to live off the gift of the workhouse."

Namjoon’s lips lifted up in a way that, if Jungkook felt more charitable, could be considered a smile. "Maybe I should make him the one responsible for your jail cell. Don’t concern yourself. I take care of my employees, one way or another."

Jungkook didn't doubt that in the least. He wondered if the man who'd made a nuisance of himself and blundered his assignment was still breathing. "I'm glad to know that," he said evenly. "Send another one to shadow me and I can promise I will care much less."

Namjoon gave a noise of amusement. "You won’t be bothered again. I give you my word. You may not think much of its worth, but it’s as reliable as death." His attention was still on his papers, which he was piling into neatly different stacks.

After a moment, Namjoon said, as though Jungkook were an aggravating and misbehaving child, "I offered you a chair."

With effort, Jungkook didn't react except with a raised eyebrow. "You may take your chair, my lord, and go to hell. If you want to speak with me, then say your piece. Otherwise, I won’t keep Lady Taehyeon and Lady Jimin waiting."

Abruptly, Namjoon sat back and studied his guest. "It isn't so much what I want to say, Jungkook," he stated with cool intent, "but rather the fact that you have something you want to to say to _me_."

The muscles in Jungkook’s jaw tightened painfully, and for a moment his anger was so hot and encompassing he almost said something he would regret. But he remembered himself, and remembered the sort of man Kim Namjoon was—one not to be dealt with lightly, or, worse, recklessly.

"If you received the message I gave your minion, then you already know what I want to ask. I’m curious to know why you neglected to tell me that Lady Taehyeon cannot speak, and why you seemed to find her disability irrelevant."

A look of irritation crossed Namjoon’s features. "Taehyeon can speak." He answered shortly. "She chooses not to for her own reasons. As you say, I find it irrelevant, both when it comes to Taehyeon and you seeing to it that she enjoys her time in Seoul. Whatever opinion you have about the situation, whether Taehyeon speaks or not has no connection on what you need to do."

"So you say," Jungkook said tightly. "But because of it, I very nearly humiliated her. At _Hongdae_. Even you, despite your disdain for social norms, would realize what that would have meant for her."

"It would have been unfortunate," Namjoon admitted, "especially for your family in Busan. You can think that I’m a bastard for subjecting Taehyeon to such a risky chance, but I feel assured of your reaction. You and your kind are too well-bred to so readily fall and cause disaster. You'd shatter before you'd crack. Isn't that so, Jeon?"

"You," Jungkook said quietly, "take a lot for granted."

"Yes," Namjoon agreed with a thin smile. "There is often no other choice for a man in my situation, which is why planning for any deviations from plans is always so necessary. If you had, by any chance, brought Taehyeon pain, you would know by now how large of a mistake it was."

"My lord, I’m getting tired of your threats. I find it difficult to believe that Lady Taehyeon is related to you in any way."

At this, Namjoon gave a small laugh. "So do I, and always have. Taehyeon’s beautiful, isn't she? Charming, well-mannered, and thoroughly pleasant to be with. She's so unlike the rest of my family I'm tempted to believe the someone else left her, like angels, rather than our father having any part of her. But that is neither here nor there." He waved one hand dismissively. "You want to know why Taehyeon doesn't speak, don’t you?"

"It would be helpful."

Namjoon was silent, giving Jungkook a measured look, before answering.

"She was born perfectly normal, despite the fact that the birth was complicated and our mother died a few hours later. She was an extraordinarily quiet baby, seldom crying, which evidently led my fool of a father to believe that she was somehow lacking mentally. If she had screeched and cried day and night as my brother and I probably did, he would have assumed she was perfectly fine. As you have seen for yourself, she is."

Jungkook was silent.

"When Taehyeon was three years old, as some of the older servants told me, she had begun to speak, later than most children, perhaps—" he gave a careless shrug, "—but not so late as to give proof to my father's belief in Taehyeon’s failing mental state. She was, these same servants insist, a bright and clearly intelligent girl. If she had been allowed to continue as she had, I have no doubt that even our stubborn father would have admitted his mistake. But it was around this time, shortly after Taehyeon’s third birthday, that one of the maids lost her own young child and caused her to go insane. For some damnable reason, she decided that Taehyeon would be better off dead, and mixed lye into the milk in Taehyeon’s silver cup and served it to her in the nursery."

"Good god," Jungkook murmured, horrified.

"Indeed. She nearly died from the poison, most of which, fortunately, she spat out. A long illness and high fever followed. To our father's credit, Taehyeon was surrounded by the finest doctors and was given full care. To his discredit, he refused to believe these same doctors when they said, after Taehyeon recovered, that her sudden inability to speak or even utter a sound was due to the inflammation that had severely scarred her vocal cords. He was convinced that she was an idiot, just as he had believed it before, and as she could no longer make a human sound, he refused to have anything to do with her. She was given over to the care of the servants, who learned to keep her out of my father's and brother's way, and had not, until I inherited the title, been educated. Taehyeon couldn’t read or write a word until she was twelve years old. She couldn't speak a word until two years later, when she was fourteen."

"But she _can_ speak?" Jungkook pressed.

"She can.” Namjoon inclined his head. “But it is painful for her to do so, and she grows tired after a while. Also, it is very…difficult. Taehyeon dislikes the sound of her voice. The scarring makes it impossible for her to achieve anything remotely feminine, although, in my case, I find her speech delightful. Still, she prefers the sign language."

"The sign language." Jungkook murmured, thoughtful. "This morning, in the park, she and Lady Jimin were communicating in that way, with their hands."

"It’s the same method that is taught in Europe at the Institute for Deaf-Mutes by Bang Sihyuk. I’m sure you’ve heard of his name. One of Bang’s most talented students, Mr. Jung Hoseok, has established a school here in Korea using these very methods, modified, of course, to Korean. But before doing so, he lived in Geochang for five years, serving as Taehyeon’s tutor, also as mine and the rest of the household's. Every one of us, including the servants, learned the sign language for Taehyeon’s benefit."

His words presented Jungkook with a confusing image of the Earl of Ilsan, very different from the one he displayed right now. The man must really love his sister if he went through so much trouble, going so far as to require even his servants to learn a language that they would most likely only ever use with Lady Taehyeon.

Jungkook realized, suddenly, why she had been so confident when coming to Seoul.

Kim Namjoon, for all his wickedness, had given her that.

"But there are other ways of teaching deaf-mutes how to communicate, isn’t there?" Jungkook asked. “Better methods? The European sign language is not widely used here."

"Not here in Korea, no, although it has been widely accepted in other parts of the world. Here, the oral method is the more common and the approved way of teaching deaf-mutes, but it’s a method more suited for those who can hear and speak than deaf-mutes. We tried that with Taehyeon at first, but since she is not completely deaf, she can hear the sound of her own voice and, as I have said, she dislikes it. Eventually she became so unhappy that my sister-in-law, Lady Seojin, insisted that we find another solution. Jung Hoseok came to us after that, and the change in Taehyeon was both rapid and remarkable. She's made up for a lot of lost time with Mr. Jung’s help."

"It is fascinating." Jungkook agreed. "But you said she is not completely deaf? I didn’t realize she was deaf at all, since she can hear the music during our time In Hongdae, and also this morning, at the park."

"She hears well enough except for her left ear, which was affected by her fever and has only been partly useful since. Her right ear seems to be functioning properly. Her lungs are also scarred, but to a lesser degree. She has been sick several times with an inflammation, and nearly died of it twice. I suggest, however, that you avoid the topic of health entirely whenever you are within Taehyeon’s hearing range. Unlike other females who rely upon their frail selves to make conversation that never fails to bore everyone, if Taehyeon ever thought you considered her delicate, she would probably break your nose to prove otherwise."

Jungkook could barely suppress the smile when he heard Namjoon’s words. The idea of the beautiful, blushing woman who had completely charmed him only a few hours ago punching him in the face was amusing.

"You're taking Taehyeon and Jimin on a drive?" Namjoon asked. "They'll most likely be more fascinated by the experience than other ladies you know. So far, Seoul seems to have made a big impression on them. Understandable, since this is their first visit to the capital. They'll need to be closely watched, however. I wouldn’t want them to get into trouble."

At that, Jungkook did raise an eyebrow. "Am I to understand that I now have the care of _both_ Lady Taehyeon and Lady Jimin? Who’s next? A male second cousin from Jeju who wants a tour of Seoul’s most infamous districts? How far— _exactly_ —should I go to repay my debts?"

Jungkook saw, for the first time, warm, sincere amusement appear on Namjoon’s features. "If someone like that existed," he said, "I think I can put him in his place better than you can, and much faster, for sure. As for Jimin, I think I made myself clear when we first talked that I expect you to make both her and Taehyeon’s way clear into society. As far as Jimin is concerned, that is all I require from you. But I do have a piece of advice to pass on to your friend, Min Yoongi, who seems to have triggered Jimin’s particular dislike. It is rare that she consciously, willingly dislikes anyone for any reason, as she prefers to see the good in people. It would be best for your friend do lightly tread with someone like her. She's much more dangerous than she looks, and as you've seen for yourself, she can be deadly if provoked."

"I think it's too late for warnings, my lord," Jungkook said. "But I’d like to leave you one of my own."

"A warning for me?" Namjoon sounded mildly interested.

"I'll only tell you this once. I am not some minion you can poke and manipulate, and it’s at your own risk if you try to do so. I'll do what I must to smooth Lady Taehyeon’s and Lady Jimin’s way into society, and I will make sure, to the best of my ability, that your sister enjoys her visit to Seoul, but I won’t be threatened by you and any of your lackeys. You will leave me in peace to fulfill my word. If you can’t, then burn Busan to the ground now and we'll have no more to do with each other."

"Well said," Namjoon returned without a pause. "A better speech than any King can claim, I think. I am not, however, a man who admires speeches. Prove yourself, and I will do what you ask. When it comes to being followed, I’ve already given you my word."

"Then we have an agreement." Jungkook stated with a nod. "Good day, my lord."

After the door closed and he was alone, Namjoon spent a full silent minute shuffling through his papers again, before shoving his work aside.

"Come out, Hyunwoo."

A closet door opened on the other side of the room and the man who had been Jeon Jungkook’s shadow walked out.

"Ah ooh thatithfied, mah ord?" he said.

Namjoon rose from his chair. "Don't speak, Hyunwoo. It's painful to hear. And sit down before you fall." He moved to the room's lone window, pushing the drapes aside just enough to see the street below. "Am I satisfied? Yes, I am. Very satisfied, to be honest. He's better than I could have hoped for. Maybe not the man I would have liked for a brother-in-law, but he'll be a good husband to Taehyeon. Or live to regret it." A thin smile played on his lips. "But somehow, I think it wouldn’t come to that."

He turned to his minion, who sat there, nursing his aching head with both hands.

"I want you to proceed as planned. Taehyeon’s comfort is the most important. Harm her in any way and you will regret it. You can do what you want with Jungkook, as long as he isn't permanently injured. And make sure everyone involved understands that the blame is to be laid at Choi Seungho’s door. I don't want Jeon Jungkook or Taehyeon ever discovering who's behind this. Certainly not until they're married. There will be no slips. No mistakes. Do you understand, Hyunwoo?"

"Ess, mah ord," Hyunwoo answered obediently.

"Make sure of it. If anything goes wrong, you'll have to worry about more than a broken jaw. Much more."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /SCREAMING.
> 
> The new video was completely unexpected and everyone is freaking out and having heart attacks. Me included. Nobody is ready for this comeback. Jungkook's vocals are so good I can't handle it. Nobody can handle today.
> 
> And because BTS and BigHit's feeding us so well, I finished this chapter faster than I thought. I enjoy writing Yoongi and Jimin bickering. Also, some backstory on Tae and why she's silent all the time.
> 
> I can't wait for the comeback. But I'm also terrified of the comeback. 
> 
> Goddamnit.


	4. Chapter Four

During the night, just before she fell asleep, for the past adolescent years of her life, Taehyeon had lain quietly in her bed and let herself think of all the exciting things that a young lady going to Seoul for the first time might experience.

Driving on a carriage through a park in the afternoon with a handsome gentleman was a favorite daydream of hers, but Taehyeon had been realistic enough to know and believe that it wouldn’t actually happen. The closest she would get, she told herself, being realistic, would probably be trying to convince her brother to take her out one afternoon.

But Namjoon hated the typical, predictable motions of social conventions more than anything else in the world and, although he would go through the task dutifully, Taehyeon could already see the constant scowl he would wear, the sarcastic, scathing comments he would make, and immediately gave up on the idea long before she and Jimin had ever even set foot in Seoul.

But a god or someone must have heard her prayers, because she was, not only going through Olympic Park in the most elegant carriage imaginable, but she was escorted by a gentleman whose handsome features exceeded even her most exaggerated imagination.

Taehyeon glanced down at the simple dress she wore and felt foolishly plain. The dark rose gown, with its lighter-colored coat and satin trimmings of cream and pink, was the most fashionable dress in the country. But here in Seoul it was at least two years behind, even if Aunt Jin said that it looked perfectly lovely.

Lord Jeon had been generous in his compliments of course, but she expected it. A man of his good manners wouldn't say the truth about such matters, even though he himself was dressed to perfection. Namjoon would call him a poser, or a showy young lordling, or worse, a man who let himself be managed by his servants, but Taehyeon knew what the rest of society would think: the Earl of Busan was clearly a man among men. A man who dressed with impeccable taste, wearing clothing only of the finest quality.

He was sitting beside her in the elegant barouche, looking almost inhumanly perfect in dark-colored pants and a dark red coat. He was very relaxed, almost idle in posture, tapping his long fingers in a rhythmic motion over the edge of the carriage and grinning like a boy across the carriage at Jimin, who was telling him the numerous stories of all the trouble the two of them had gotten into at Geochang. Taehyeon found it hard to believe that he found the stories interesting, but he seemed to be completely entertained, his delight and laughter seemingly genuine. He glanced at her, as if he felt her gaze on him, and his smile softened from amusement to gentle interest.

"Are you enjoying the ride, Lady Taehyeon? What do you think of the mild chaos?" He gestured with one hand toward the crowds.

She thought it was wonderful, although it was, truthfully, quite ridiculous for so many people to go around about in the late afternoon, day after day after day. They had been greeted and stopped by a number of people since they'd entered the park, some of them riding horseback, some of them sitting and perched high upon their impressive-looking phaetons, some riding in open carriages of varying elegance and sizes, and all of them keen to be introduced to Jimin and her. Most of them looked at her with dismay when they realized she didn't speak, quickly making their excuses and leaving, but Taehyeon was used to that. Simply meeting different kinds of people, all fashionable and with status, had been an incredible event, and she imagined herself back in Geochang, holding court before her awestruck friends and sharing with them her memories of Seoul.

He was waiting for a reply, and Taehyeon opened the little gold case that dangled from a bracelet at her wrist. She had forgotten to bring it with her when she had gone riding that morning, but made doubly sure to bring it for the drive in the park. Extracting one of the tiny sheets of paper and the small gold pen, she wrote, _Wonderful. Better than the Circus._ She underlined circus twice and handed him the note, grinning with satisfaction when he burst into laughter.

"Well," he said, chuckling as he passed the note to Jimin. "I’lI see what I can do to give you ladies a better impression of the capital. Are there any places in Seoul that you want to visit?"

"Gyeongbokgung Palace!" Jimin said at once, while Taehyeon scribbled another note.

"Seonyudo Island," he read, giving her an amused glance, "and the Grevin Museum."

"Oh, everywhere." Jimin told him, earnest and sweet. "We decided that long before we came, right TaeTae? If this going to be our only trip to Seoul, we want to see everything there is to see and do everything there is to do."

"That will be a challenge, but I’d be glad if you would allow me to help you," Lord Jeon said with an easy smile, "at least as long as I can, when I’m not attending to my duties. Perhaps tomorrow, if you're free, I’d like to escort you both, and Lady Seojin, if she would like to come along, to Gyeongbokgung Palace? I would be pleased to show you around."

"Oh, yes!" Jimin said, completely delighted. "That’s very kind of you, my lord. I'm sure Mama would also want to come."

"Then it's settled. I'll talk to Lady Seojin when we return to Ilsan Hall." A rider on a magnificent black horse neared their carriage, and Lord Jeon raised a hand in greeting, smile growing larger. "Hello there, Lord Min. I wondered if we would meet you here."

Lord Min Yoongi, handsome in black trousers and a black coat that hugged his lean, pale body to perfection, looked tense and uncomfortable as he guided his horse alongside the carriage. He made a slight bow in his saddle. "Good day Lady Taehyeon, Lady Jimin." The glance he sent Jimin’s way was returned with an ice-cold stare. "Jeon," Lord Min continued stiffly, "I hope you’ve had a good day."

"Quite well, thank you." Lord Jeon replied casually. "Even with the crowd, the park is rather pleasant this afternoon, don't you think?"

Lord Min didn't seem interested in the park. He glanced at Jimin again, and when she pointedly lifted her chin and looked away, he replied, "Yes."

"If I had known you'd be coming today I would have invited you to come along with us. I'm sure the ladies would have enjoyed having your company."

Taehyeon nodded and smiled. Jimin tapped the bottom of the carriage with her parasol and made a soft, disagreeing sound.

"Well, as it happens…" Lord Min said, clearing his throat. "Um. As it happens, I've been thinking about some of the words I said to Lady Jimin this morning, and it came to me that… perhaps… I need to apologize."

Jimin stopped tapping her parasol and looked him full in the face.

" _Perhaps_?" she asked.

"I mean… " Lord Min said once more, looking so uncomfortable Taehyeon felt sorry for him. "No, not perhaps, exactly. I certainly owe you an apology, but I would like to say that you provoked the situation and that we both said things any normal person would regret—"

Jimin cut him off. " _I beg your pardon_ , my lord, but I do _not_ , as it happens, regret one word I said to you this morning. And I did not provoke the situation."

"You most certainly did." Lord Min shot back, a little more heated. "Riding your horse so recklessly— you might have broken your neck and injured the animal. It’s the most thoughtless, careless display of horse handling I’ve ever seen."

Jimin stamped her parasol so solidly on the carriage floor that Taehyeon thought she poked a hole through it. "I had my horse completely under control, sir, and would have continued to do so if you hadn't come out of nowhere and frightened the poor thing half to death!"

"The poor horse was already frightened!" Lord Min started. "If I hadn't stopped you when I did—"

"Ah, Sungwoon," Lord Jeon greeted loudly as another rider on horseback joined them. "Good day. Please, come and join our conversation." His deliberately mild tone caused Taehyeon to smile, because the situation was so ridiculous, and he turned back to her with a conspiratorial wink that nearly sent her into peals of laughter.

"Good day, Jeon, Min. Conversation?" Lord Ha Sungwoon asked, lifting his tall hat from his head just long enough to make his bow to the ladies. "I wished to greet Lady Jimin and Lady Taehyeon. Hello, my lady." he said to Jimin, only briefly including Taehyeon in his smile.

"Good day, my lord." Jimin replied politely, ignoring Lord Min’s sudden scowl as she leaned past him to smile at Lord Ha. "Oh, what a fine horse. She looks wonderful to ride."

Lord Ha flushed with obvious pleasure, and sat up straighter in his saddle, although it did nothing to heighten his shorter person. Beside Lord Min, Lord Ha Sungwoon looked almost childlike.

"She is fine indeed." He agreed with pride. "She's one of the finest in my stable that I brought to Seoul for the season. One day you must allow me to take you riding, Lady Jimin. I would be very happy to provide you with a horse that you'll find quite exceptional."

"I wouldn't, Sungwoon, if I were you." Lord Min muttered.

Jimin glared at him for a short moment before saying to Lord Ha sweetly, "TaeTae and I would like that very much, my lord. Thank you."

Lord Ha glanced at Taehyeon, their eyes meeting for the briefest of seconds before he turned back to Jimin. "Will you be at Lady Irene’s ball tonight, Lady Jimin? I would very much like to reserve a dance with you, if I could."

"Hah," Lord Min remarked as if he'd never heard anything more absurd.

Jimin gifted Lord Ha with her most dazzling smile—the one that had trapped more men in Geochang than Taehyeon could keep count of. Lord Ha was spellbound at once, leaning toward Jimin on his saddle until he met with Lord Min’s hard elbow.

"I would be honored to accept, my lord. Tae and I would both be very happy to reserve a dance with you, if you would tell us which dances you’d like."

_Oh Jimin,_ Taehyeon thought with a groan. She couldn't tell who was more red-faced, she or Lord Ha, who was suddenly at a loss for words. Beside her, Taehyeon saw Lord Jeon’s hand tighten on the side of the barouche, and she wondered, with a sinking heart, if he was embarrassed to be seen with her.

She was used to being treated like she was invisible, but to others, especially to a person with a kind heart like Lord Jeon, the experience might be terribly unpleasant.

"Of course. Um…" Lord Ha began, clearly flustered.

"I've already reserved a waltz with Lady Taehyeon." Lord Jeon said suddenly, tightly. "As well as the supper dance."

"And I've reserved a waltz and a quadrille." Lord Min quickly put in. "You'll have to make do with what's left."

"Oh, well..." Lord Ha said, looking at Taehyeon uncomfortably. "Then, if you'll save me the first country dance, my lady?" He turned away before Taehyeon could do so much as nod at him. "Lady Jimin, I was hoping that you might not yet have reserved the supper dance?"

"She has." Lord Min answered, not giving Jimin a chance to speak. "With me. You can have the quadrille. Now be a good man, Ha, and fuc—be off, now."

"Well, I’ve never," Lord Ha said, a little startled and offended, by Lord Min’s lack of manners.

Lord Jeon covered his mouth with his hand and coughed. He glanced at Taehyeon and she had to look away to contain her own amusement.

"I have not reserved the supper dance!" Jimin said furiously.

"Yes, you have." Lord Min countered firmly. "Ha, do I have to tell you twice, or would you rather have this conversation later instead?"

Lord Ha’s eyes widened, and while Lord Min didn’t have an impressive physique to speak of, something in his eyes and posture reminded Taehyeon of a dangerous animal. Lord Ha seemed to realize this as well.

"A quadrille will be fine, Lady Jimin. Good day." He said meekly, nodding nervously at Taehyeon and Lord Jeon. "Good day, my lady. Jeon. Min."

"Why you ill-mannered, conceited brute!" Jimin exclaimed, outraged, after Lord Ha Sungwoon had ridden away. "How dare you lie to Lord Ha!"

Lord Min looked down at her from his greater height and said, "I rather like Ha Sungwoon, at least enough to protect him from a country-bred chick who'd probably run some of his finest horses into the ground. More so after she’s done turning the man into a fool by batting her eyelashes at him."

Jimin, completely upset, lifted her parasol with the obvious intent of smashing it upon Lord Min’s head. Taehyeon sat forward with a gasp to stop her, but Lord Jeon’s hand pressed reassuringly on her arm.

"Ah, Lady Lee Hyori and Miss Lee Jieun," he said as another carriage pulled up beside them in the long line of slow-moving vehicles. "What a pleasant surprise."

"Lord Jeon!" The beautiful, tanned woman in the other carriage greeted. "What a surprise. Jieun and I were hoping that we might see you here." The lovely young lady sitting beside her smiled first at Lord Jeon, and then at Taehyeon. "Won't you introduce us to your company?"

"With pleasure." Lord Jeon replied with a smile, and Jimin slowly lowered her parasol.

Within fifteen short minutes, Taehyeon found herself strolling arm in arm with Miss Lee Jieun through the colorful paradise of Olympic Park, with Lord Jeon escorting Lady Lee Hyori beside them. Somewhere not far behind, Taehyeon could hear Jimin and Lord Min arguing hotly, but, thankfully, not overtly loudly.

Lee Jieun was close to Taehyeon’s age, maybe a little older, and very much like the friends that she and Jimin had left behind in Geochang. With soft-looking dark hair and warm brown eyes, she was a pretty, gentle girl, open and kind and utterly uncaring of Taehyeon’s inability to speak. She accepted the notes Taehyeon wrote without a pause in conversation, as if Taehyeon had spoken instead, and she was quick to understand the hand signals Taehyeon usually found it necessary to make.

"I hope that you and Lady Jimin will be able to attend the small party my mother is giving next week, Lady Taehyeon." Miss Lee said. "It would mostly be about a discussion on books, but we'll have music and cards and I'm sure you'll both find it entertaining. Of course, it will be nothing compared to the sort of ball Lady Irene is hosting tonight. Will you and your cousin be attending? It would be wonderful if you two could come. Please tell me what you're going to wear, I'm so grateful that I don't have to wear white this season, like I did last year. I had been very tired of it."

Miss Jieun had the kind of voice that Taehyeon had always been envious of, clear and bell-like, musical when she chattered on, as she was at the moment, so feminine and pretty that Taehyeon had to tamp down the bitter jealousy that swiftly rose within her.

"Please tell me, what color will your gown be?" Miss Lee asked. "It won't matter, of course. You’re so beautiful that any gown would look perfect on you. Every man who sees you must fall in love with you."

The compliment made Taehyeon cheeks burn, and she smiled at Lee Jieun and shook her head.

Miss Lee pressed her arm and said earnestly, "Well, it's perfectly true. Don't you agree, my lord?"

"I do." Lord Jeon said.

Taehyeon hadn't realized that the other couple had come so close. She pushed away in her embarrassment and strode to a nearby rosebush, which had flowers with light, pinkish white petals. She fingered one of the soft petals and lifted a small handful of her skirt.

"What a pretty color." Miss Lee said approvingly. "And very well thought of, Lady Taehyeon. White, but not quite white. I wish I had thought of it when I had my first season, rather than buying only white gowns."

Lord Jeon smiled down at the girl, taking one of her dainty hands. "I liked you very much in those gowns." he murmured, his gaze intimate. "You look beautiful in white." Lowering his head, he gently kissed the hand he held, and then gazed into Miss Lee’s eyes for a long moment before releasing her.

Miss Lee’s cheeks grew pink and her expression filled with pleasure, while Lady Hyori looked on with smiling approval.

Taehyeon stood very still, watching the scene as if she were completely invisible, as if she had no part in any of it, and she was, to be honest.

They were in love, she realized. Lord Jeon and Miss Lee. And she realized, too, that it couldn’t possibly have been a coincidence that they met here like this, or that Miss Lee was so friendly and kind to her.

Did they think she was an idiot, she thought with sudden fury. Or that because she was mute, she wouldn't be able to realize what was going on? It was bad enough for Lord Jeon and Lord Min to lie about having asked her to dance, but this…this well-intentioned pity, this forced _kindness_ … she _hated_ it!

The only thing she hated more was not being able to tell them how much she despised being treated like this, like she had to be treated differently from anyone else.

_But you are different_ , she told herself silently, her fingers accidentally crushing the delicate petals in her hand as she stood there, invisible, watching. _You don't even exist most of the time._

She should be grateful that Lord Jeon had made a great effort on her behalf, she thought, but she wasn't.

Why was he doing this? What on earth had made him do this?

"You," she heard Jimin’s angry voice say as she and Lord Min neared, "are a horrible, obstinate, _thick-headed_ man."

"Yes, but at least I can ride a horse without half killing it," he replied, adding acidly, " _Lady_ Jimin."

Taehyeon had never been more grateful for her relative's dislike of someone else, and when Lord Jeon said, with a chuckle, "Perhaps we had better go before war breaks out in Olympic Park," she readily let him guide her back to his waiting carriage and helped her in.

* * *

_Something was wrong_ , Jungkook thought as he watched Lady Kim Taehyeon from across Lord and Lady Bae’s ballroom floor.

Very, very wrong.

She was ethereally beautiful in her airy pink gown, which was indeed similar in color to the roses that she had compared it to earlier in the day. He remembered perfectly the moment when her gloved hand had touched the tiny petals—it was the last time she had smiled at him, the last time she had gazed at him with open friendliness that was so refreshing. It seemed like an eternity ago.

She had been misleading about the dress, however. It wasn’t a simple a pink ball gown; it was a dress that had clearly been fashioned to suggest the dawn of a new day. The net overskirt was laid with what must have been hundreds of—what?—diamonds?—so that every movement set off a sparkle that looked like early stars fading against the growing warmth of a clear morning's light.

The effect was eye-catching, and enchanting.

Not that Lady Taehyeon needed a gown like that to get attention. She could have been dressed in a potato sack and every man in the room still would still be looking at her with admiration.

The problem was admiration, at this point, was the only kind of attention she was getting.

The ball has went on for more than two hours, and she didn’t dance once, not even with him.

Somewhere between the wonderful afternoon they'd spent together and tonight, Lady Taehyeon turned from an angel into a frigidly unapproachable ice queen. He had stood in front of her, going to claim his waltz, with his hand outstretched and his smile frozen on his face, both looking and feeling an idiot, not knowing what to do. He had never been rejected before when he had requested a dance, and she—she had done nothing but stare at him as if he were something disgusting. She hadn't even written him a note from her little golden note case, as she did often during the day, but had disdainfully communicated through Lady Jimin, who was already highly embarrassed.

_"TaeTae said… um. Lady Taehyeon said that it wasn’t necessary for you to dance with her."_

_Not necessary_ , he thought angrily, watching her across the floor. What the hell was _that_ supposed to mean? He did _everything_ , anything that would make her happy and satisfied, with all the trouble included, and now she threw it back in his face without any reason whatsoever.

Just thinking of what he had to do to make sure she danced with other people made him clench his fists. Kang Sung even had the gall to say that he would only dance with the silent Lady Taehyeon if Jungkook would sell him the hunting rifle he purchased last year. Now he would lose his gun for nothing; she turned Kang Sung away just as coldly as she had the rest of them.

Not that it hadn't been amusing to see the handsome, obnoxious Kang Sung refused for once in his life—the man had looked completely shocked, something Jungkook knew Yoongi would taunt the man for for days to come—but Jungkook still felt like… doing something completely violent and not at all appropriate to do to a human being, let alone a woman like Lady Taehyeon.

She was standing near her sister-in-law and Lady Jimin, like she had been at Hongdae Court a few days before. During their meeting at Hongdae, she had, at least, looked approachable. Now, Lady Taehyeon was an impenetrable fortress. Even Jieun, who had been so kind and open around her, willing and happy to start a friendship, had been coolly rebuffed, and Lady Bae had been sent scurrying away with nothing more but a chilly glance.

Both Lady Seojin and Lady Jimin looked lost, exasperated but completely unable to reason with their beautiful relative. Lady Jimin had tried to refuse to dance as well, clearly waiting for Lady Taehyeon to join the floor before she did, until Lord Min had finally refused to be put aside and forced the formidable young woman into a waltz by practically carrying her to the dance floor. When it was finished he carried her back to her mother and strode purposefully to Jungkook’s side.

"Lady Jimin is unhappy." he said in a low voice. "It looks like Lady Taehyeon spent the rest of the day locked away in her bedroom after we took them home. The Earl went in and talked to her after an hour or so, and when he came out he didn't look very pleased."

"Damn it." Jungkook muttered under his breath. "Something's gone wrong, somehow, but I can't imagine what it is. She was perfectly happy this afternoon."

Yoongi accepted a cup of burgundy from a passing waiter. "She was silent on the way back to Ilsan Hall." He said. "Not that she isn't always silent, but…you know what I mean."

"I'm beginning to think that I don't know anything." Jungkook told him, frustrated. "Except that I spent all morning making visits that are clearly a waste of time, and that I won't lose my home in Busan because a beautiful female has suddenly lost all her senses."

With that, he began to make his way across the dance floor.

A momentary surprise possessed Lady Taehyeon’s features when she saw him stalking toward her, to be replaced almost at once by the chilly expression she was wearing for most of the evening.

He made his second greetings of the evening to both Lady Seojin and Lady Jimin before turning to the object of his displeasure.

"The supper dance is about to be begin, Lady Taehyeon. I would be honored if you would allow me to be your partner."

She lifted one white-gloved hand and made a sharp, negative gesture. Behind him, he heard Lady Jimin say, unhappily, "She said, 'Thank you very much my lord, but I don't feel up to dancing at the moment.'"

He wasn’t knowledgable or proficient at sign language, but Jungkook knew very well that Lady Taehyeon hadn't said anything quite so nice.

"Then maybe you might enjoy a walk in the gardens? The evening air is comfortable and I believe Lady Bae has decorated the walkways with colorful lanterns."

Her clear eyes glittered with what Jungkook recognized as fury that matched his own, and her hand came up again. Before she could deliver him in her silent language to a place in which her expression had already condemned him, Jungkook took her hand and held it very firmly.

"Thank you very much, my lady." He said, forcibly placing her hand on his arm. To Lady Seojin, who was somewhat distracted by the spectacle of Lord Min carrying her daughter off onto the dance floor again, he said, "I will make sure to return your niece in time for supper, my lady."

Getting Lady Taehyeon out into the gardens was like dragging an large boulder across the room and out the doors. Once outside on the terrace, she tried again to gain her freedom, but there were several other couples sitting there, enjoying the cooler night air, and what Jungkook had to say to Lady Taehyeon required some quiet and privacy. He clamped his hand even more firmly over hers, nodded in greeting to his various acquaintances, and resolutely led her down a darker path and into the relative darkness of the gardens.

"Here." he said as they neared a bench in a private alcove. "This will do."

She wrenched herself free.

" _D-hon't_!"

Lady Taehyeon was glaring at him, her lips parted, and the word stunned him, momentarily.

It was spoken in such a deep, strangled tone that his brain registered it as a man's voice. Or more accurately, a young man's voice. It was misplaced, coming out of her beautifully feminine mouth, as if it was another person who said it.

"Don't?" He repeated, drawing in a long breath, trying his best to keep the shock from appearing on his face. "Don't what, my lady?"

She turned away from him.

"Touch you?" He offered. "Speak to you? Ask you to dance?"

She made a scoffing sound, and he moved to stand in front of her.

"Forgive me for speaking so plainly, Lady Taehyeon," he began, clinging to the civility that had been bred in him from the day he was born, although he dearly wished he could send his manners to hell and speak to her frankly. Which was to say, he would like nothing better than to grab her and shake her soundly. "but I seem to have offended you in some way. If this is the case, I hope you can tell me what I’ve done so I can offer my apologies."

She was fuming, staring at the ground, but she said, "Ah m-hay n-hot spheak verrey well—" She had to stop and draw in a long breath, ''—bhut th-hat dhoes n-hot mean I am an idee-yot."

The effort it took for her to say the words was tremendous. Jungkook could see how difficult, almost painfully so, it was for her to force her deep, grating voice to work. Even more, now he could see how much the sound of her own voice disgusted her.

She was terribly angry, and hurt, because if she wasn’t, she never would have spoken.

Knowing that softened his wrath.

"Of course you're not an idiot." Jungkook said, still trying to figure her out, choosing to address her words directly. "I can't think of anything that would have given you the reason to believe I think so."

Lady Taehyeon lifted her head suddenly, and he was taken back by the accusation in her glare. And his patience suddenly thinned. " _What_ have I done to offend you?"

She went to sit on the bench, flipping open her gold note case with the ease of long practice. She removed a sheet, her tiny pen, and began to write furiously, squinting in the darkness to see. When she had finished, she held the note out to him.

"I lied to Lord Ha Sungwoon?" He asked after he had read it, then laughed. "I never lied to Lord Ha. That’s a ridiculous thought, my lady. I would never do such a…" It occurred to him, suddenly, what she meant, and he felt the shock of disbelief. "You’re not talking about having reserved dances with you?"

She nodded, and he felt insulted. He only behaved as any decent gentleman would, saving a lady from being openly humiliated. Ungrateful little…! If she was going to be angry, it should be with Sungwoon for treating her as if she was some sort of disease that he didn't want to touch, let alone dance with.

Jungkook remembered the moment perfectly. He had wanted to smash the man’s face in.

"I'm terribly sorry if those actions, coming from chivalry, were so displeasing, my lady." He said through grit teeth and tense jaw. "The next time you're treated to the sort of ungentlemanly behavior Lord Sungwoon gave to you this afternoon, I’ll make sure to not interfere."

Even in the darkness, he could see the hot color rising in her cheeks. She scribbled another note and held it out.

He took it, read it, and felt his heart drop into his feet.

_Oh, god._

"Yes." He admitted stiffly. "Miss Lee and her mother met us at the park at my request."

She found out. Jungkook stood there with her note in his hand, all of his plans crumbling like dust under the hammer of her blow, and felt utterly helpless. He saw Busan being taken away, his family estate, his _home_ , being put into the hands of strangers.

How would he ever explain it to his family, to his mother and sisters?

She wrote another note. _The dances, too? Sir Kang Sung?_

He drew in a long breath and nodded. "They are all good friends of mine. I asked them to dance with you."

It had never occurred to him that Lady Taehyeon would realize what he had done. Or perhaps, even if the thought had occurred to him, he assumed that she would be grateful. That she would be glad to receive the kind of attention that a normal young lady would receive.

She was staring straight at him, not boldly, but as if her icy facade was about to crack. The straight line of her mouth trembled. The effort it cost her to keep from crying was obvious from the tension in her body, held as stiff as a board, and in her hands, clenched tightly on her lap.

" _Why?_ " she asked, her deep voice harsh and uneven. "Pah-hity?"

She tried to say the last word again, to make it more clear, but it only came out as an unintelligible croak, and she drew in a breath and lowered her head.

Pity. God. She believed he pitied her.

Jungkook knew how she felt now. Ugly, unapproachable, unwanted, and different. As if she would never be able to fit in the way other people could. She came to Seoul with all her dreams, and he had been the one to break them so soon.

It would have happened eventually. He knew that, and she probably knew it as well. But it shouldn't have been so soon, and it shouldn't have come from him. It might have been enough if he had given her even just a few weeks of pleasure, of being a shining diamond enjoying her first season in Seoul. It was all she wanted, and not so very much to give.

Watching now, as she struggled to keep herself from crying in front of him, Jungkook wished, with all his heart, that he had been able to give it to her.

"It wasn't pity." He murmured. "I know what it looks like, but it wasn't that. I hope you'll believe me."

Her head still bowed, Lady Taehyeon wrote another note.

_A joke, then? A bet?_

"My god, no!" He denied immediately, vehemently. "Lady Taehyeon, I realize what you think of me after this, but I would never insult you, or any other lady, in such a manner. I give you my word as a gentleman."

Still, she wouldn't look at him. He couldn't see what her reaction was. Maybe she didn't think of him as a gentleman. Perhaps she thought his word utterly worthless.

She asked again, pleadingly this time.

" _Why?_ "

It was awful. The worst moment he could ever remember having in his life. He had no experience in hurting people, and had no idea how to make it all better. He couldn't tell her the truth. Even if Kim Namjoon hadn't put that restriction on him, knowing that he had been blackmailed into being her escort was bound to hurt her more than she already had been.

"Your brother," Jungkook began slowly, trying to find his way among the treacherous waters, "is an… acquaintance of mine."

She lifted her head slightly, sniffling.

"I think he's never mentioned me to you," Jungkook went on, desperately wishing he was better at making stories. "But he has mentioned you…to me…on a number of occasions." Two was definitely a number, he told himself. He wasn't quite lying to her. "When he mentioned that you were coming to the capital, I knew that I must do whatever I could to… make things easier for the sister of my…dear friend." He coughed suddenly, trying not to choke on his words, and prayed that he wasn't damning himself to Hell for all eternity. "He didn’t, however, tell me that you do not speak. Usually speak, that is. You can imagine my surprise when we danced at Hongdae."

Her head lifted a little more, and with the back of one hand she wiped both of her cheeks before looking at him.

Her tentatively hopeful expression instantly filled him with guilt.

"Why d-hid you n-hot men-shion Nahm-jhun?"

He stared at her, trying to understand what she said. He couldn't figure it out, for the life of him. "Um… " He said, grasping his hands behind his back and hoping for inspiration.

She took pity on him, and wrote a note.

_You never mentioned you knew Namjoon before._

"Well, no. No, I didn't." He said, fumbling desperately for an excuse. Of course he would have mentioned her brother to her if they were good friends. It would have been one of the first things he would have told her, once they’ve been introduced. Any idiot would have realized that. "I suppose…that is…I didn't want you to think that I was merely doing your brother a favor. Maybe that had been my original intent, but I quickly realized that you were a charming companion, and wanted to pursue our acquaintance for my own selfish reasons."

That only made her look suspiciously at him.

"I’m sure you know that you're an extraordinarily beautiful young woman, Lady Taehyeon." Jungkook pressed on, hoping against hope that she believed his cock-and-bull story that he could barely believe himself. "I would be a liar if I didn't say that I'm honored to be seen in your company. If you find that hard to believe because you cannot speak, then I can only try, to the best of my ability, to assure you that I do not find, nor have I ever found it, unpleasant. I realize that my attempts to ease your way into Seoul society have deeply—and understandably—offended you. My only excuse is that I wanted you to enjoy your time in the capital. It’s difficult to make a successful entrance here for anyone, not just yourself, but even the smallest imperfection will make the it that much harder. I just… wanted to make your way easier. If how I did it was wrong, I hope that you will believe that I only had good intentions."

She was still for a long moment, gazing up at him, clearly thinking all of this through.

"If me and my presence has become disgusting to you," he said more softly, "I will completely understand, and will no longer upset you with it. I could only ask that you be kind to Miss Lee. It's true that she and her mother met us at the park because of my request, with the intention of making your acquaintance, but I think you realize that they are sincere. Jieun—that is, Miss Lee—really hopes that both of you could be friends."

Lady Taehyeon, after a moment of silence, released a shaking breath and looked down at her hands again.

And he stood there waiting, waiting, feeling his future precariously held in the silent Kim Taehyeon’s dainty, glove-worn hands.

Finally, she wrote another note, longer than the others, hesitating for a moment before handing it to him.

_I didn’t understand, and I was wrong to judge you so harshly. If you will forgive me for my actions, I will gladly forgive you for yours._

Jungkook was so deeply relieved that he felt temporarily weak.

"You are very kind, Lady Taehyeon. Thank you."

She smiled a little, giving him hope, so he continued forward, needing to know whether there was a chance for him to save himself, his home.

"We didn’t have a completely good beginning, and I fully accept that fault. But I said the truth when I said that I would like, very much, to show you more of Seoul. Is there any chance that we can begin again?"

He wasn't quite sure, but she looked relieved, too. She wrote on another tiny scrap of paper.

_Yes._   _I’d like that very much, my lord._

And then she smiled at him in that brilliant, angelic way, and he knew everything was going to be all right.

"As would I." Jungkook said sincerely, holding out a hand to help her rise from the bench. "More than anything."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! I know I promised I would update every week, but a lot of real life got in the way, such as THE COMEBACK, BBMAs, work, personal life, and the fact that I've been bitten by a dog and wasn't able to use my hands properly for a while. But finally, the next chapter is here, and this is where the some of the angst and trashy romance novel-drama starts. 
> 
> I won't promise weekly updates anymore, but I'll try to update as soon as I can. Thank you all for the kudos and comments! I appreciate knowing what you think of the story so far.


	5. Chapter Five

"Well Guk, Kim Namjoon won't have any reason to complain anymore," Lord Min Yoongi said as he stretched lazily beneath the shade of the tree that the two men shared.

He was looking at Lady Taehyeon, who, with another member of their picnic party, was strolling slowly along the bank of the Han River. "Lady Taehyeon definitely had a successful season so far. I doubt there's another woman alive who can say that she’s had Kang Sung looking so pathetic."

Jungkook chuckled softly, smiling after the two figures near the water. "He does seem taken with her. Never thought I'd live to see the day. But who can blame him, honestly. She's completely beautiful."

"Hmm," Yoongi made a soft sound of agreement, lifting a sugared rice cake from his plate and inspecting it for a moment before popping it into his mouth. He swallowed before adding, "It's not just that. Lady Taehyeon has nice manners. Quite a pleasant woman, all around. If it weren't for the idea that she’s related to Kim Jimin through marriage, I might even be interested in her myself."

Jungkook laughed outright and suffered Yoongi’s withering glare before finally stopping, his mouth set into a wide grin. “Should I remove my bet in the books then, on you and Lady Jimin becoming engaged by the end of summer?"

"As long as you pay me for losing that bet, Guk." Yoongi told him.

"I think I'll let it stand a while longer," Jungkook said. "It's such a lonely, one-sided wager. Me against half of Seoul. I can't resist the idea of the winnings I'll make if you two should get leg-shackled."

"What you'll get is empty pockets and a reputation as a fool. Look at her." Yoongi nodded towards where Lady Jimin held the attention of over half a dozen members of her ever-growing court. "The chick has every man in the town slobbering over her like a pack of hairy hounds. I'm less than nothing to her. Worse, she _hates_ me." He took up his wineglass and drained it. A nearby servant silently moved forward to refill the cup. "You're throwing your money away for nothing, Guk."

"Don't give up hope yet, Yoongi," Jungkook advised kindly. "At least she hates you devotedly and with consistency."

"Perfect," Yoongi muttered. "A thing to remember when I'm an old man. You should keep an eye on your protegee,” he added, glancing at Lady Taehyeon’s direction quickly, “before Kang Sung gets her all to himself in that grove of trees."

Sitting up, Jungkook craned his neck to see toward where Yoongi had nodded. "Lady Taehyeon knows better than to let him try something like that. She's not a child." He reclined upon the blanket again. "And she's not my protegee."

"Your charge, then," Yoongi amended after a moment. "Your baby chick. Your season-long bundle of blackmail."

"Maybe." Jungkook said, lazily toying with the yuja on his plate. "But I can't say, honestly, that I minded. It's been the least boring season in Seoul I’ve had." He smiled. "A thing to remember when I'm an old man."

Yoongi shook his head in disbelief. "I'm beginning to think you're going crazy, Guk."

"Admit it. You've enjoyed taking Lady Taehyeon and Lady Jimin around Seoul just as much as I have. Remember the day we took them to the Palace?"

"Of course I do. How could I forget? Lady Jimin said she'd like to see my legs twisted on the torture block."

"And you replied that if _her_ legs were the ones being twisted, it would simply snap and fall off her body." Jungkook made a tsking sound. "Honestly, Yoongi. Couldn’t you keep your courting on a less violent note? Now, Lady Tae," he pressed on quickly, not giving his indignant friend a chance to retort, "being a much more typical woman, found the Palace to be completely romantic. I never really understood why. You'd think they'd find it horrifying."

"I doubt they'd find it romantic if they were the ones tortured."

"Maybe," Jungkook agreed. "But I never, in my entire life, forget the afternoon we escorted the ladies to the Grevin Museum. Lady Jimin’s remarks about the old Japanese paintings will live forever in my memories."

"She nearly had us thrown out," Yoongi said heatedly. "I can't even think how Lady Seojin managed to raise a lady with a personality like hers."

"Oh, I don't know." Jungkook shrugged, lifted a tiny rice cake from his plate to inspect it before setting it aside again. "I thought it was funny, hearing you compared to a block of stone." He smiled. "Lady Seojin actually laughed."

"What about her behavior in Itaewon Street? You didn't find that amusing, I would assume."

"... No." Jungkook said more seriously. "That wasn't funny at all. Certainly not for Lady Seojin. Seeing Kim Namjoon with his mistress was bad enough without Lady Jimin shouting at them to stop and speak with us. That… was unfortunate."

"Kim Namjoon clearly thought so. He looked like he'd take the girl over his knee then and there."

"Lady Jimin couldn't have known who the woman was." Jungkook shook his head. "She and Tae were raised in the country, remember? They haven't been much exposed to the things that are considered as normal in the capital. I would image she still doesn't realize that her uncle keeps a mistress."

"Due entirely to the fact that the Kim Namjoon’s woman knew enough to keep her mouth shut and let him do all the talking. He wouldn’t keep an idiot for a mistress, no matter how good her services are. Fortunate thing. Did you see the look on Lady Seojin’s face? She was completely caught by surprise."

Jungkook nodded slowly. "She must have been shocked to find herself staring at a nearly identical woman, except Kim Namjoon’s mistress is a dull copy of Lady Seojin’s beauty."

"Did they look alike? I haven’t noticed. The hair was nearly the same shade, but otherwise…" Yoongi gave a shrug, finishing off the last bite of cold salmon on his plate.

"But there was enough of a resemblance to make it… strange. Too coincidental." Jungkook murmured. "You can only wonder what’s inside Kim Namjoon’s mind, keeping a woman who looks so much like his sister-in-law. Lady Taehyeon was terribly upset by it later."

"Was she?" Yoongi asked after swallowing a mouthful of food. "At Seonyudo?"

"Yes. When we went for a walk just before the fireworks began, she told me how confused she was by everything. She even asked me if the woman was her brother's mistress, and I didn't know what to tell her."

"How would you know who his mistress is?" Yoongi asked. "You hardly know him."

"Ah, but you forget. I am now his _'very dear friend'_."

Yoongi snorted, amused. "Oh, yes, I forgot. And I’ve never seen such closer friends together. I can't believe Lady Taehyeon fell for such an obvious lie."

"What I can't believe is that Kim Namjoon agreed to the story."

"Well, he had to, didn't he? To keep Lady Taehyeon from discovering how he blackmailed you. So what did you say to her about the lady of your 'very dear friend'?''

With a sigh, Jungkook pushed his empty plate away and rolled over onto his back, gazing up through the branches of the tree to the sky above. "I told her the truth. What else can I do? I can’t lie about something that she's already seen for herself. There are times when I think she knows what I’m thinking, especially during the times I’m about to say or do something. I still can't believe she still accepts the reasons I gave on why we met. If she wasn’t so ready to find the best in everyone she meets, I don't doubt she'd ignore me and tell me to go away. Fortunately, she's blessedly naive."

"Not for much longer if you told her about Kim Namjoon’s kept woman. What did she have to say about it?"

"She understood," Jungkook lied, closing his eyes against the brightness of the day. "She accepted that her brother is a man who is experienced in all ways of life."

It wasn't even close to the truth, but Jungkook wasn't about to tell anyone, not even his closest friend, on how deeply hurt Taehyeon had been. He told her the truth, as gently and kindly as he could, and watched all the color drain from her face.

She had stared at him and then scribbled a furiously fast note.

_But why?_

The tiny page had joined the myriad of others in his pockets, although it had been crushed in his fist first. She watched his face anxiously, waiting for his reply, and all he was able to say was "I'm sorry."

She moved to sit on a bench, and he joined her there, taking her hands in both of his.

"Lady Taehyeon," Jungkook began, but she pulled her hands away.

In that moment, he forgot himself.

"Tae."

She wrote another note and gave it to him.

_She looked like Aunt Seojin._

"Yes," he admitted. "She did, somewhat. But it might be a coincidence."

Taehyeon shook her head firmly.

"I'm sure it was." Jungkook told her. He took her hands again and held them tightly, feeling her unhappiness like it was his own. "Tae," he said softly, "we shouldn't be talking about these kinds of matters. It is very unacceptable. You should ask your Aunt Seojin to explain these things to you."

"N-ho," she said insistently, surprising him. She had used her voice in front of him before, if they were alone, but it was still quite rare. "If ah can-nhot ta-tahlk with you, there is n-ho one ehlse."

He might have smiled at the words, or tried to correct her, but he didn't. Because she was right. There was a something between them. A communication, a bond. For as long as she was in Seoul, she had become unwittingly—he might almost have said unwillingly—dependent upon him. There was no one else she could turn to. Only him.

He seemed to be the only person in this foreign land, apart from her relatives, who understood her.

He should have told her again that he was sorry, that he couldn't possibly talk about such things with her, but instead he ran his thumbs lightly over the back of her glove-encased hands.

"Tell me what you want to know."

The conversation that followed didn’t make her any happier. She wasn't upset at the idea of her brother keeping a mistress; it was the general nature of men she was wholly upset on.

_He should marry that poor woman!_ She'd written.

Jungkook made the mistake of laughing out loud. "It would be impossible for a man of your brother's standing—for the  _Earl of Ilsan_ —to marry a woman of her station. She is a commoner. It’s not possible."

Taehyeon had set her lips in a straight line and looked as if she'd like to hit him. She wrote another note. 

_Then he should marry Aunt Seojin._

This sentiment surprised Jungkook so much that, before he could think better of it, answered what was on his mind. "Marriage isn't necessarily the best solution, my lady. Many married men keep mistresses, even when they claim to love their wives."

Her mouth fell open and she stared at him as if he said something completely unforgivable, and Jungkook, angry with himself for speaking so tactlessly, stuffed the note into his pocket and abruptly stood. "I apologize. I've upset you. We shouldn't be discussing these things. We should return to the others before the fireworks begin."

"Whait." She put a hand on his arm to still him, after he had pulled her to her feet. Her expression, as she gazed up at him, was apologetic. "Ah'm sorree."

The sound of her voice was beginning to have the strangest effect on him. He wanted too much to hear it. It was too pleasurable, knowing that he was one of the few allowed to do so. "You don't have to be," he began, but she shook her head.

"Ah'm stup-hid."

"Taehyeon." He covered the hand she held on his arm. "No. I won't have that."

She made a sound—a husky chuckle that shivered all the way through him, turning his brain to mush. Her smile flashed up in the dim lantern light. "Fool-ish," she amended. "L-hord Jh-eon, you are so g-hood to m-he. Ah'm so gr-ate-ful."

_God!_ He thought, staring down into what he knew be the most captivating face he would see in his lifetime. _Grateful!_

If she had any idea of what he wanted to do to her at that moment, she'd probably think he was nothing but the most dastardly of bastards.

"Fireworks," he mumbled desperately. She was much too near—he could distinctly feel her warmth through their layers of clothing—and if she didn't stop gazing up at him as if he were some hero he wouldn't be held accountable for what would happen next.

"... Um." He cleared his throat and stepped away. "The fireworks are about to begin."

He'd led her back to the crowd, then, because there was nothing else he could do. It was impossible to seduce her. She was the daughter and sister of an earl, as well as innocent.

But he had a much better reason for resisting and leaving her whole.

Something strange had happened during the past few weeks—something he'd never foreseen. Kim Taehyeon had begun to mean something to him. More than a burden, or a charge, or even an acquaintance.

He'd told himself innumerable times that it was merely a brotherly sort of concern, especially with Taehyeon’s unique condition. He only wanted to keep her safe from hurt and harm, to make other people understand her, to give her this time in Seoul just as she had wanted it, fairly-like and wonderful.

But he was starting to fear that it was more than that.

Jungkook was uncomfortably aware of her as a woman. Worse, he was beginning to feel obsessed. She was too beautiful. Too desirable. He found himself staring at her mouth so often that he  _knew_ the activity was unhealthy. And contemplation wasn't where it stopped.

His imagination was completely out of hand, not stopping at the thought of that mouth merely kissing him, but of being occupied in a much more alarmingly intimate manner. That led to other, even more shocking fantasies, which stalked him even as he slept, so much that Jungkook would often bolt awake, hot and cold and sweating all at once, sure that his dreams were condemning him to a one-way journey to Hell.

It had to be a sin to dream those things about an innocent, _mute_ female. And if Kim Namjoon, in all his omniscience, ever discovered what his sister's escort was thinking, Jungkook had no doubt he'd find himself personally delivered to the Underworld much more quickly than he'd generally expected.

It was a terrible thing, wanting to help her, wanting her. Taehyeon trusted him, which was no small achievement. It had taken a full week before she allowed him to interpret for her, even with his meager ability. He didn't think he'd ever understand her sign language, and relied completely on her notes and her ability at playing charades, and he knew what an honor it was.

She trusted him to be her friend, to guide and speak for her, to know when it was all becoming too much and take her away to a quiet place, where they would just simply sit together in comfortable silence.

"I don't know how you can even talk to Lady Taehyeon." Yoongi said, not unkindly. "If it wasn’t for you being able to understand her, I doubt I'd have the nerve to actually greet and engage her in a conversation."

"It only takes a bit of practice," Jungkook said, returning back to the present. "Not difficult at all, really. Which you'd know if you didn’t occupy your time with thoughts of Lady Jimin every moment of the day. Everyone else would know it too, if they weren’t so afraid of anyone and anything that’s not a part of what could be considered ‘normal’."

"I doubt it," Yoongi answered. "It’s not the fear that Lady Taehyeon couldn’t speak that keeps some of them away. Kim Namjoon’s reputation isn't exactly the most warm or welcoming, and then there are those then there are those ridiculous beliefs about the deaf and mute being cursed.” He paused. “And I'm not occupied with that… that stubborn female every moment of the day! Good god, I'd probably lose my mind if I was."

Gazing at the lady in question as she sat near the river, still surrounded by admirers, Yoongi gave a long sigh. "Oh, well. Is your mother, the countess, coming to Seoul, then?"

"No, not yet." Jungkook gracefully pushed up into a sitting position, squinting across the wide expanse of green to where Taehyung and Kang Sung were seated. He noticed that she was using her fingers, charade-fashion, to explain something to her avidly attentive companion, and even from the distance could see the fatigue on her delicate features. It exhausted her to do charades for long, especially when she had to repeat the motions over and over to make herself understood. "Lisa became sick with the cold just as Jennie recovered fully from it. Another week or two and my mother should be able to travel once my sisters are all well."

"Women," Yoongi muttered with a shake of his head. "Can't have the decency to do all these things at once."

Jungkook chuckled. "Not in my family, at least. And now if you will excuse me—" he stood up, "—I'll go and rescue Lady Taehyeon from Kang Sung’s ever so charming self."

"Before she faints away from them, for sure," Yoongi replied with a roll of his eyes. He lifted a hand to wave him away. "Go on then, Good Knight Jeon Jungkook. I should never detain a gentleman from his duties."

Taehyeon saw him coming, he noted as he came near them, and looked desperately happy to see him. Relieved, almost.

"Lady Taehyeon," he murmured, taking the hand she lifted and squeezing it lightly, "I hope you're enjoying the day. Good afternoon, Kang Sung." Relieved, almost.

When she clung to his hand, rather than let him let go of her, Jungkook knew that something was wrong.

"Jeon," Sir Kang Sung returned stiffly, openly displeased at having his time with Taehyeon interrupted.

"Wonderful picnic, don't you think?" Jungkook said casually, tucking Taehyeon’s hand comfortingly beneath his arm and holding it there. If Kang Sung is bothering her with any of his usual nonsense, he'd strangle the man. "The Han River is always a pleasant sight, and Lady Chaerin always does these picnics so well."

"Indeed," Kang Sung agreed, gazing at Taehyeon in a manner that made her look away. "Absolutely… _marvelous_."

Jungkook’s smile froze on his face, forcing back the anger that flooded him at the other man's meaning with every ounce of self-control he had. It was fortunate that Lady Seojin appeared at that exact moment and immediately stole her niece away to introduce her to an old friend. Taehyeon went gratefully, although she held Jungkook’s hand for a moment longer than necessary. Before she left, Taehyeon shook her head, gazing pleadingly into his eyes.

Jungkook merely smiled.

He and Kang Sung were eventually alone, after watching the women depart. "A lovely young lady."

"She's fantastic," Kang Sung agreed, setting his hands behind his back. "I can't seem to think of anything else lately."

Surprised, Jungkook glanced at him. Perhaps he misunderstood the matter. "Your feelings are involved now, then?"

"Oh, yes," was the emphatic reply, his gaze moving over Taehyeon as she greeted her aunt's acquaintance. "My feelings and every other part of me."

Jungkook let the words pass. Typical male talk. His own feelings for Taehyeon, after all, were hardly as pure as he wanted them to be. "You and Lady Taehyeon seemed to had a very deep conversation." He started, as they strolled along the river.

"Did we?" Kang Sung left off his admiration of Taehyeon with a sigh, turning to smile at Jungkook. "I'm glad it seemed that way from afar. I don't want to look a fool, after all, while I'm pursuing her. Of course, I didn't have the blindest idea of what she was trying to say. Those ridiculous motions she makes with her hands!" He shook his head.

Jungkook stopped, all but gaping at him. "If you couldn't understand her, then why the hell have you kept her company for the last half hour?"

Kang Sung laughed. "Really, Jeon, I'm sure you could tell me that better than I could. If you're able to understand that delicious woman, so much the better. For me, I don't give a damn whether she makes sense or not. It won't make any difference once I've got her in bed.''

Chills shivered up Jungkook's spine, followed by a sharp, tingling heat. For a moment the entire world turned a shattering, violent red. His feet stopped moving. His fingernails curled into the palms of his hands. And somewhere over the roar of blood in his ears, he heard the man say in a purely amiable tone, "And if you think I'm going to wait until you're done with her Jeon, then I'm sorry to inform you that you're wrong. If Kim Namjoon hasn't killed you yet for bedding his sister, then he certainly won't have the reason to kill me."

"What—" he hardly recognized his own voice, so low and unsteadily, "—makes you think Kim Namjoon would let me do such a thing? To use his sister that way?"

"God, man.” Kang Sung shook his head at him. “Everyone knows that the mute don’t have morals. Born that way, you know. It's a known fact. And Kim Namjoon’s not a fool to think that anyone would actually  _marry_ her, unless it's some desperate, poor bastard after her dowry. Even then, she'll have her needs attended to, and, provided I've managed to push you out of the picture, who better than I to attend to them?" He chuckled and grinned in a manner that Jungkook was all too used to.

It invited him, as a fellow man, to enjoy the joke.

Instead, without thinking upon his actions, Jungkook put one hand on Kang Sung’s collar to hold him still, and swiftly, without warning, smashed his nose with his fist. The sound of bones crunching was so satisfying, gratifying, but it wasn't enough. As Kang Sung began to howl and struggle, Jungkook pulled him close.

" _Bastard_. If I ever hear you speak Lady Taehyeon’s name again, I'll break more than your fucking nose. And if you want to continue breathing, you disgusting son of a bitch, then you stay far, far away from her."

And then, to make sure that his point was perfectly understood, Jungkook lifted Sir Kang Sung off the ground and, with all of the other picnic-goers avidly watching, tossed him into the Han River.

* * *

Taehyeon tried to turn and walk away, but Jungkook held her arm and swung her back. He looked just as furious as she felt.

"Gather your things, Lady Taehyeon. We're leaving."

_How dare he!_ Taehyeon thought, glaring at him. He had no right to do things as if she needed to be saved, to involve himself in _her_ business. She couldn’t care less that that they were now the focus of more than a dozen pairs of interested eyes, and Taehyeon jerked free, emphatically making the hand signal for "no."

He seemed not to notice, although she knew that he understood it perfectly. She taught him the hand signal, along with a number of others, and he had proved to be a bright pupil.

"I'll speak with your aunt," he said firmly, "and make our excuses to Lady Chaerin. Now go and gather your things."

_No_ , she signed again, and felt the pressure of his fingers on her arm increase.

"Taehyeon," he said in a low voice, clearly trying his best to maintain his composure for the sake of those watching them. "Now I’ve just embarrassed you beyond repair, and that by this time tomorrow both of us will be the topic of conversation in town. If you don't want to see the sight of Sir Kang Sung and I brawling on the lawn adding to the one I've already provided, then I suggest that you gather your things and leave with me. _Now_. Before he crawls out of the river. Because the moment he does, and if he's still able to stand without any help, I'm going to kill him."

Taehyeon went to gather her things, and a few moments later found herself being handed up into Lord Jeon’s high-perched carriage. She cast a glance at their stunned audience—at Lady Chaerin, who, supported by her three sisters, was fretting into her handkerchief, and then at Aunt Seojin, still standing with the person she had only just introduced Taehyeon to before everything else happened.

Jimin wasn't too far away, standing beside Lord Min, who was partially sheltering her from everyone else. Their eyes met and held, sharing an unhappiness that only they could understand. Finally, Taehyeon looked beyond the crowd to where several men had pulled Sir Kang Sung out of the river. He was completely drenched, but alive and well, seen by the expression of rage on his face, all of it directed toward Lord Jeon and herself.

Seeing it, she was suddenly glad to be leaving the spot Lady Chaerin chose for her picnic.

The moment other impeding carriages were moved to clear the way, Lord Jeon started his carriage forward. They rode in silence for the first five minutes, with Taehyeon thinking of the multitude of ways the situation could have been handled better, and the multiple ways she could show how displeased she was, from hitting him with her parasol—a method Jimin tended to do when sufficiently pushed—to not speaking to him at all.

Maybe even, the moment he escorted her home, never seeing him again.

But once her anger had cooled and she could think more reasonably, the thought of never seeing him again was impossible. She could probably manage one entire day without seeing him; two, maybe, if she worked at maintaining her anger for him.

But three days would be the end of it. She would want him, then. She would be desperate for him. By then, just the sound of his voice would be enough to make her heart flutter with delight.

It was a distressing thought, but entirely, irrefutably true. Because somehow she had done the most foolish thing. She had fallen in love with a man who already loved someone else. A man who would never look at someone like her with any interest deeper than friendship. And even then, he had done so only because of her own brother, who was a much closer, dearer friend.

It was horrible. Awful. The worst thing that Taehyeon could have ever imagined during her one season in Seoul. She had dreamed of a lot of good things happening to her here, but falling in love hadn't been one of them.

She had realized and understood long ago that she would never have a husband, because no man wanted a wife who couldn't speak to him. She had accepted the fact and had already decided on her path. If Namjoon never married, she would take her place as the lady in Geochang and devote herself to managing the estate as he wanted it to be done. It would be a quiet life, but she would be content with it. If Namjoon _did_ take a wife, Taehyeon would ask her brother to help her set up her own little school near where her former tutor, Mr. Jung Hoseok, had started his school for deaf-mutes.

It would seem strange, perhaps, for the daughter and sister of an earl to take up teaching, but for Taehyeon, it would be a joy.

Until a few days ago, those had been her only options for the rest of her life. But she learned that there might be another choice.

She might become a lord’s mistress instead.

Lord Jeon had explained such matters quite clearly. In Seoul, society didn't really seem to mind if a married lady of high birth took a lover, or even many lovers, just as a man was allowed to take mistresses. He didn’t say anything about ladies who weren't married, but it made sense that someone like her, who wasn’t marriageable, should be permitted some leeway.

And ever since that night at Seonyudo, Taehyeon had begun to realize that the men she believed were gazing at her with simple appreciation were, in fact, looking at her with an completely different thought in mind. Not only could she take a lover, she could choose from among _dozens_ of them. Sir Kang Sung had all but spoken his willingness out loud just this afternoon.

Not that she would ever consider him, of course. Or any of the others who'd showed their desire. There was only one man she would become a mistress to, if he ever asked her.

The Earl of Busan.

He wanted her too, although he was too much of a gentleman to express it openly. She would catch him staring sometimes, if she looked at him suddenly. She would find him watching her, or her mouth, gazing so openly and brazenly that it was starting to become an often occurrence. It bothered her in the beginning, since she thought he wanted her to talk, but once she understood, her irritation had vanished.

She loved him, and even if he would never feel anything similar in return, it was enough—more than enough—to know that she could be _something_ to him.

It was perhaps shameful to be so sure that she would live in sin, perhaps completely wrong, but she didn't care. Every happiness in her life, as little as it was, had to be taken with as little guilt as possible. There were many things she would never have that others will—a husband, a place in society, children—but she could at least know what it felt to love.

She would feel guilty, especially about Miss Lee Jieun, who had become such a dear and good friend. But Lord Jeon said before that married men often took mistresses, and if he was going to take a new one, it might as well be her. Namjoon would be a difficult obstacle, of course, if he ever found out, but as long as she and Lord Jeon were careful—well, didn’t he say that these things must be carried out quietly? Namjoon had been so discreet about his own mistress that Taehyeon had never even realized she existed until the day they accidentally met in Itaewon.

But it was too late for that, she thought as she glanced at him, at his grim expression and tightly clenched jaw. He hadn't asked her to become his mistress, and, because of his close friendship with her brother, he probably never would.

He seemed to sense her looking at him, but didn't reciprocate the gesture. Instead, he slowed the carriage bit by bit, finally bringing it to a stop right in the middle of the road. Then he sat, not turning, with the reins in his hands, completely silent. A full minute passed before he bowed his head slightly.

"I don't quite know how to begin to apologize." He said. "I have never in my life behaved so badly, in such a public place, and especially not when it would cause harm to a lady. I don't particularly care about throwing Sir Kang Sung in the river, because he deserved that, and much worse, but whatever shame and embarrassment I may have given you and your family—and I am aware that it might be great—I deeply regret it, my actions, and I hope you’ll forgive me. If trouble comes and matters become unbearable for you, I will consider it a great honor if you allow me to make up for it."

She wasn't quite sure on what he meant by that. If Namjoon couldn't fix matters, she doubted that anyone could. On one point she was quite firm, however. The Earl of Busan must accept that he could not take on fights that were her own. He could not change the way things were, or give her the gift of being able to speak easily that other people had. Even if she became his mistress, he would not be able to protect her from the stares, the whispers, and being treated as if she were invisible.

Touching his shoulder to gain his full attention, Taehyeon looked patiently into his remorse-filled eyes, and pointed very firmly at herself. "It whas mah truh-ble."

He blinked slowly and straightened in the seat. "You couldn't have taken care of it yourself," he told her. "I admit I should have handled the situation in a much better way, but it would have been naive for you to even try. I shudder to think of what could have happened if that filth managed to get you into the woods alone. You wouldn't have been able to shout for help."

She began to protest, but he shook his head sharply. "No. You will no longer talk or engage with Sir Kang Sung for any reason, for any time, at any event that you might both be in together. You will stay away from him. Completely.''

Taehyeon flipped open the gold case at her wrist and removed a sheet, but he put a hand out and stopped her.

"It won't do any good to argue, Taehyeon. If you won't stay away from Kang Sung because I told you to, I'll make _sure_ that your brother keeps you away from him. And if I tell Lord Kim even _half_ of what that man said in my presence, I assure you you'll find yourself packed and off to Geochang within half a day, and Sir Kang Sung will be fortunate to find himself still breathing at the end of the day." His fist tightened on the reins as he gave her an angry glare. "Why did you continue sitting with him, putting up with his nonsense, when you know very well that one word, even a _look_ , would have brought me beside you?"

Her throat ached and burned, and she felt so tight everywhere that speaking was sharply painful. "It is n-hot your c-hon-cern! Ohnly m-hine!"

His handsome face turned to stone. "Not anymore. I'll won’t allow you to be put in a circumstance like that in future." Then he turned away and started the carriage once more.

They didn't speak again until they reached Ilsan Hall. If the carriage hadn't been so high, Taehyeon would have gotten down herself, refusing, in her anger, to suffer Lord Jeon’s touch any longer than she should.

But he put his hands around her waist and gently pulled her to the ground, and then held her still.

"Taehyeon. Tae," he said, his tone so gentle and filled with remorse that she couldn’t pull away from him, no matter how much she wanted to. "Will you invite me in for a few minutes? Please? I want to explain to you why I—"

"Lady Taehyeon?"

Lord Jeon dropped his hands at once and stepped away, the mask of perfect, distant civility once again in place with the speed that Taehyeon had come to expect.

She knew who it was that spoke to her, knew the familiar voice at once, and, without thinking of who might hear her, she cried out with joy. Stepping around Lord Jungkook's larger person, she saw him. He was standing at the open door of Ilsan Hall, hat in hand, clearly going to leave.

"Lady Taehyeon," Jung Hoseok began with a smile, "how lucky am I that you arrived just now! I hoped that I wouldn’t miss—" his breath whooshed out as she raced up the steps and threw herself at him full force, "—you."

She didn't know why she started to cry. It was terribly embarrassing, and so childish. But she was so very happy to see him, because this man had been her only voice for years, who had worked so long and so hard against her stubbornness to give her a voice of her own.

He was her teacher, her dear friend, and in the midst of all the happiness and insanity she experienced in Seoul, seeing him again was a relief beyond expression.

"My dear Lady Taehyeon," Hoseok said kindly, patting her shoulder, the brim of the hat held in his hand knocking against her arm lightly. "I've missed you. I came today because I hoped to see you, but Lord Kim said that you were gone for the day. I felt a bit sad, but here you are, my dear, and everything is all right again!"

Sniffling, Taehyeon pulled away and wiped her wet eyes with the tips of her gloved fingers before signing, _Why did you wait so long before coming here? I asked Namjoon to send you an invitation a long time ago._

He fumbled around in his coat pocket, drawing out a handkerchief and pressing it into her hands. "It was impossible until now. I needed someone to watch over the school and the students if I left. If it weren't for Lord Kim, I doubt I would have been here in time for your ball. He somehow arranged for two students from the European Institute to come and work with me for the next year. It's a great blessing, I can't begin to tell you."

_Yes, of course_. Taehyeon signed, smiling up at him through her tears. His kind, familiar, happy face was so dear to her. _I know how hard you work, and I'm so happy that you could come. It wouldn't be the same without you!_ She grasped one of his hands and kissed it, like she often did when she was a girl.

He patted her shoulder again and chuckled. "Now now, we'll have none of that, my lady. The honor is mine. I'm terribly glad to be here and see my butterfly make her debut. Ah, would you introduce me to this gentleman who is waiting here so patiently? And then I must be going."

_You can't leave yet!_ She told him.

"I’d like to stay, truly, but I might have imposed on your brother long enough…"

_Please!_ She begged. _Stay for another hour, if you can. I have so much to tell you. Please_.

His eyes held hers for a silent moment, and then with a nod he said, "Very well, my dear. If you're certain that Lord Kim won't mind."

* * *

Earl Kim Namjoon didn't mind.

In fact, Jungkook thought from where he sat across the drawing room half an hour later, as far as Lord Kim Namjoon was concerned, Mr. Jung Hoseok seemed to be sunlight reincarnated.

The earl and his sister sat on either side of the beloved Mr. Jung, talking happily and animatedly. From the rapid movements of her hands, Taehyeon seemed to have a good deal to say, and for the first time in nearly a month, Jungkook was the only one in the room who couldn't understand a word she was saying. It made him feel slightly insane. Worse, it made him feel as if he were suddenly invisible.

Taehyeon had told him before what that felt like, and he sympathized with the well-meaning sincerity of the ignorant. Now he knew firsthand what she meant.

Jung Hoseok was a surprise. Jungkook had expected him to be a much older man—grandfatherly, even, from the way Taehyeon had described him. But in fact he was around the same age as Jungkook, not quite as tall, but still an equally handsome man. Striking, really, if Jungkook would be honest about it, with straight black hair that swung back and forth with every movement of his head, framing a somewhat long but still aesthetically pleasing face.

His demeanor was mannerly but excitable, his dress plain and rather unremarkable, but on him, with his lean figure, quite appropriate. He spoke in an equally bright, warm tone, smiling at Taehyeon with obvious affection as they spoke. The close relationship between them was clear.

Taehyeon gazed at Jung Hoseok with open adoration, and Jungkook wondered, with a tightening sensation in his chest, if she was in love with him.

"We've achieved a lot at the school," Jung Hoseok was happily saying, "mostly because of Lord Kim’s great kindness." He nodded toward the earl, who was leaning back in his chair in a relaxed, almost lazy pose. "Without his support, I thought the Institute would have closed long ago."

"Nonsense," Kim Namjoon replied, casually waving the praise away. "I haven’t done much, and what I did would have gone to waste without your vision and effort. You've made the Institute what it is."

Jung Hoseok beamed at the compliment, which Jungkook hardly found extraordinary. Kind words from the Earl of Ilsan would shock anyone.

"I don't know if that’s the case, but that is very kind of you to say, my lord! I do feel that we've made some progress in getting a better reputation for ourselves ever since Mr. Kahn publicly denounced the sign-language method. It's the hardest job, you know—overcoming the old belief held by the scientific community here in Korea that the sign language only encourages deaf-mutes to have no morals and commit bad behavior. I was beginning to feel discouraged until a few months ago, Mr. Kahn suddenly left us alone. I don't know how it happened, but he has stopped all efforts to shut down the Institute, and, as a result, in the past three months alone we had twelve new students whose families are completely supportive."

Jungkook didn't miss the small, cat-like smile on the Earl of Ilsan’s face. Seeing it, he had a good idea about what happened to Mr. Jung’s attackers.

Whoever the unfortunate Mr. Kahn might be, Jungkook felt a sudden kinship with him.

"That’s the reason why it was so hard to me to come until now," Mr. Jung went on. "With so many new students, it would be quite impossible for me to leave without Lord Kim’s intervention, and the two student teachers from Europe will help with the expansion of the Institute significantly."

Taehyeon’s hands fluttered in happy response. Namjoon nodded his agreement, and Mr. Jung replied, "As am I, my dear."

Jungkook crossed his legs and sighed. He felt like he was a foreigner in a country where everyone spoke the language but him.

"You are very kind, Taehyeon." Mr. Jung answered after more signs. "Lord Kim has been very generous and offered a place for me to stay here, but I've already taken some rooms for the short time I'll be in the capital."

Taehyeon made a brief hand signal this time, one that Jungkook at last, with a measure of relief, recognized.

_How long?_

She asked him that question enough for him to be familiar with it.  _How long_  would it be before the fireworks started at Seonyudo? _How long_ would he be engaged in his duties before he would be free to take her for a drive in the park?  _How long_ would it take to get from Ilsan Hall to the Grevin Museum?

"Only two weeks, I’m afraid," Mr. Jung replied, somewhat regretfully. "I promised to return to the Institute soon after."

This news upset Taehyeon so much that she began to protest, and held of one of his hands. Jungkook unfolded his legs and sat up slowly, not entirely sure what he wanted to do, but if she kissed the man's hand again, Mr. Jung would find himself in a very bad position.

"There's nothing to be done, Taehyeon," Kim Namjoon told her, sending a bemused glance in Jungkook's direction. "I've already tried to convince Mr. Jung to change his plans, but he won’t be moved. You'll remember that he's formidable when he’s set on his plans."

Taehyeon dropped Mr. Jung’s hand and sat back, clearly dissatisfied, and Jungkook let himself relax.

"I'm so sorry, Lady Taehyeon," said Mr. Jung, with an apologetic smile. "I hope, though, that you'll spare a few hours for me once you can? I’d like to have a longer talk with you—"

Raised voices in the entryway brought his words to a pause.

"What is going on now?" Kim Namjoon muttered, standing. "Jimin must be home."

It was Lady Jimin, as Jungkook saw a moment later, when the drawing room door opened to not only her, but Lady Seojin and Lord Min Yoongi as well.

"People," Jimin said indignantly, shaking at Lord Min what was left of the lovely blue parasol she'd taken to the picnic. "All people are complete idiots! Uncle Namjoon," she demanded, " _you_ tell him!"

"My dear girl, I'm hardly likely to do so, am I?" Lord Kim looked his niece with a tsk. "What happened, Jimin? Tried to kill someone? Your dress is torn."

"Yes, I did try to kill someone." Lady Jimin said hotly, clearly unconcerned with her disheveled state. "Sir Kang Sung, to be precise. And I would have done it, too, if Lord Min hadn't interfered."

Lord Kim looked past his upset niece to Lady Seojin, who was standing calmly near the door. "We owe Lord Min a word of thanks, I would assume?"

"We do." Lady Seojin nodded. "Jimin was well on her way to hurting herself when Lord Min kindly intervened."

"Kindly!" Jimin stamped her foot. "I think Sir Kang Sung wouldn't think so. The unmannerly beast threw him back into the Han River, didn't he?"

The unmannerly beast, Jungkook concluded, must have been Yoongi, who was now standing by Lady Seojin’s side, looking fully out of place.

"I'm beginning to think she shouldn't be allowed out of the house," Lady Seojin continued, voice still calm, "especially if she's going to continue attacking other members of polite society in such a violent manner. She clearly doesn't understand what her behavior will mean to both her and Taehyeon here in Seoul."

"I understand it very well," Jimin said, still incensed, "but if Sir Kang Sung’s behavior is what is considered acceptable in the capital, then I would be more than pleased to go back home to Geochang and never return! And I will not stand by while a member of my family is openly insulted! When Uncle Namjoon hears what that disgusting man was saying about TaeTae and Lord Jeon, he'll—"

"Jimin!" Lady Seojin said sharply. "That's enough."

The relaxed amusement in Lord Kim Namjoon’s eyes died, replaced at once by a curious wariness that he turned on Jungkook. Neither Jungkook nor Taehyeon had said why they returned from the picnic early, and, in the face of Jung Hoseok’s visit, they weren’t asked.

"... I see." Lord Kim murmured softly. After a silent moment, he smiled at his niece. "Well, we can discuss the matter later, Jimin. Don't stress yourself further."

Lady Seojin placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Lord Kim has a guest, Jimin, if you haven't noticed. Go and say hello to Mr. Jung, and then go upstairs and change your clothes."

Lady Jimin squealed delightedly at the sight of Jung Hoseok, and launched herself at the man.

"Hoseok!" She cried, hugging him. "How wonderful! Did you come for our ball? It would be perfect if you did! TaeTae, isn't this the most pleasant surprise! Now we won't care if the whole capital shuns us and doesn't attend our comeout ball, as long as Hoseok is there."

Jungkook was beginning to feel ill. Being in the presence of the wonderful and perfect Jung Hoseok was almost more than a mere human could bear. Making his most polite excuses, he asked to depart from the company earlier, promising that he would see the ladies that evening at Lord and Lady Wu’s home for the dinner and small musical, where they had been all invited. He didn't particularly want to come, given the day he just had, but it was his fault that both Taehyeon and Lady Jimin were going to be the topic of a lot conversation from now on, and it was his duty to do what he could to make matters easier.

He bowed over the hands of the ladies, ignoring Taehyeon when she squeezed his fingers and made a murmuring sound, as if she suddenly realized his displeasure and wanted to make it better.

He assured Jung Hoseok that it was a pleasure meeting him and he hoped they would meet again soon.

He told his  _dear friend_ Namjoon that he looked forward to seeing him at a pub in the near future—a safe bet, since Namjoon didn't go to any of Seoul’s clubs—and was assured, in turn, that they would certainly see each other again soon. He began to say something to Lord Min, but Yoongi mumbled that he should be going too, and followed Jungkook out the door.

On the step, Yoongi said immediately, "What the hell was that all about? Who's that man Jimin was throwing herself at?"

"Lady Taehyeon’s sign-language tutor." Jungkook began to pull on his gloves. "You tossed Kang Sung into the river again?"

"Had to. Jimin was hitting him with her parasol, and he tried to defend himself. I couldn't have him accidentally hurting her, could I?"

"No," Jungkook said with a sigh, "I suppose not. Where are you headed off to now?"

"Maybe a pub," Yoongi said with a shrug. "You?"

Jungkook was tempted to go to his mistress, or to Jieun, to any place where he would be cared for and indulged excessively without trouble. "Just home," he sighed. "I need to stick my head in a bowl of ice after experiencing the perfection of Mr. Jung Hoseok."

Yoongi’s eyebrows rose. "Perfect, huh?"

"As perfect as any man could be. Tell me, do I need to show myself at Kang Sung’s apartments?"

"No. Lady Jimin was mistaken as usual. Kang Sung knew well enough to keep his mouth shut after you’re done with him. It was your dragging Lady Taehyeon off that had the rumors flowing. She heard them and assumed Kang Sung was the source. That's all."

"Damn it," Jungkook muttered, setting his hat upon his head. "I think I need a bottle of whiskey with that bowl of ice. Good day, Yoongi."

He took himself home and gave both his butler and his valet instructions that no one was to bother him for any reason, until it was time for him to prepare for Lord and Lady Wu’s engagement.

Alone in his bedroom, he loosened the buttons on his shirt, poured himself a large glass of whiskey, and sat down in front of a highly polished desk to begin a ritual that had become familiar to him in the past few weeks.

He unlocked the desk's top drawer and pulled it open. Inside were what seemed to be hundreds of little pieces of paper. On each one, Taehyeon had written a few words, sometimes a sentence or two. He could remember the _exact_ moment when she had handed every single one of them to him.

At random, he picked one.

_I think it wonderful of them to be so concerned about others!_

_How can you tease about them? I'm sure they're completely delightful._

His mother and sisters, Jungkook thought with a smile. They'd been riding in the park, talking about his family. And of Busan. He didn’t mean to tell her anything about his ancestral estate, since through her own brother he had nearly lost it, but somehow, in their first week of meeting each other, he'd found himself talking of his home more often than not. She was too well practiced at being a listener for him to resist her gentle prodding. He'd told her of Busan’s history, about the ancient palace there which seemed more welcoming a home than any other he possessed, about his plans for it and for his people.

Talk of Busan led to talking about his mother and sisters, and she had laughed when he told her stories of managing to survive all of their well-meaning care. He closed his eyes now and leaned back in his chair, hearing it all over again.

No one laughed the way Taehyeon did. It was a more like a chuckle than laughter outright, deep and husky and disturbingly sensual. She had laughed and enchanted him and finally written him that beautifully scolding note for speaking about his family teasingly.

With a sigh, Jungkook set the note back among the others, then spent a few moments picking up a few more at random and recalling when she gave them to him. Finally, he began to go through all of his coat pockets, emptying them of that day's notes, unfolding and reading a few and finally dropping all of them into the drawer.

Sitting back, he took up his whiskey and held it in both hands, contemplating the open desk drawer and all the tiny notes for a long, silent while.

It was impossible, he told himself, that he had fallen in love with her.

Lady Kim Taehyeon. He was simply taken in by her beauty and charm, with her manner and intelligence and wit. That was all, and nothing more.

And yet, what he'd felt this afternoon when she'd kissed Jung Hoseok’s hand felt distinctly like jealousy… and not the mild sort, either, It was the maddening, fire-breathing, murderous kind.

Jungkook didn't think he would feel so distressed in his life.

It was impossible. He was the Earl of Busan, and the woman he took for a wife must be able to act as the hostess in their own homes, as well as serve as his representative in the homes of others. She must be able to run his numerous households with some level of efficiency, and be capable of organizing the many social functions and gathering he would need to do and hold as his standing within the capital rose. And, aside from that, he was all but officially engaged to Lee Jieun. He couldn't possibly bow out of that no matter how badly he might wish it.

It was impossible. He shoved the desk drawer shut with one forcible movement, then leaned forward to cover his weary eyes with the palm of one hand.

Completely, utterly impossible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a long while, I've finally updated! We're really getting into the heart of the story now, and finally, the sunshine of my life, Jung Hoseok, is finally a part of the story! He would have a relatively minor role, compared to everyone else, and I feel somewhat sorry, since I love him so much, but alas, that's not how the story is going.
> 
> Please, don't hesitate to DM or scream at me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ESolstice_)! You can ask me anything about this series, or any other stories I've posted (barring spoilers, of course)!


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